James 4:9

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and [your] joy to heaviness.

Be afflicted {G5003}, and {G2532} mourn {G3996}, and {G2532} weep {G2799}: let your {G5216} laughter {G1071} be turned {G3344} to {G1519} mourning {G3997}, and {G2532} your joy {G5479} to {G1519} heaviness {G2726}.

Wail, mourn, sob! Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into gloom!

Grieve, mourn, and weep. Turn your laughter to mourning, and your joy to gloom.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

James 4:9 is a powerful call to radical repentance and genuine contrition, following James’s strong rebuke against worldliness and spiritual pride. It demands a profound shift in attitude from self-indulgence to sincere sorrow over sin.

Context

This verse comes after James has exposed the root causes of conflict among believers: covetousness, worldly desires, and spiritual adultery (see James 4:4). He contrasts the "friendship of the world" with friendship with God, declaring the former to be enmity against God. The preceding verses call for submission to God and resistance to the devil. Verse 9 then outlines the active response required from those who have been living in opposition to God's will: a deep, heartfelt sorrow that leads to true humility and turning away from sin.

Key Themes

  • Radical Repentance: The command "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep" is not a call for despair, but for a profound, visible expression of sorrow over one's sinful state and rebellion against God. It signifies a complete break from the superficial joys of worldliness.
  • Sorrow Over Sin: This is a call for "godly sorrow," which leads to repentance without regret, unlike worldly sorrow. It involves recognizing the gravity of sin and its offense against a holy God.
  • Humility: The transformation of "laughter to mourning" and "joy to heaviness" emphasizes the need to abandon the frivolous, self-satisfied demeanor of the worldly person and adopt a humble, contrite spirit before God. This prepares the heart for God's grace, as the next verse, James 4:10, promises that those who humble themselves will be lifted up.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek words used here emphasize the intensity of the required change. Talaipōrēsate (be afflicted) suggests a sense of misery or distress, often self-imposed in the context of humbling oneself. Penthesate (mourn) indicates deep, lamenting grief, similar to mourning for the dead. Klausate (weep) refers to the outward shedding of tears. The contrast is stark between gelōs (laughter), signifying superficial worldly joy, and katēpheia (heaviness), meaning dejection or gloom, which here represents the soberness of true repentance.

Practical Application

For believers today, James 4:9 serves as a crucial reminder that genuine spiritual transformation often begins with a recognition of our sinfulness and a willingness to grieve over it. It challenges us to examine our "laughter" and "joy" – are they rooted in worldly pursuits or in a deep, abiding relationship with God? If our hearts are complacent or aligned with the world, this verse calls us to a posture of humility and sorrow, allowing God to work true repentance within us. It's an invitation to abandon superficiality for the profound, transforming work of God's grace, leading to true and lasting joy that comes from being right with Him.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 5:4

    Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

  • 2 Corinthians 7:10

    For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

  • 2 Corinthians 7:11

    For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, [what] clearing of yourselves, yea, [what] indignation, yea, [what] fear, yea, [what] vehement desire, yea, [what] zeal, yea, [what] revenge! In all [things] ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

  • Proverbs 14:13

    ¶ Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth [is] heaviness.

  • Luke 6:25

    Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

  • James 5:1

    ¶ Go to now, [ye] rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon [you].

  • James 5:2

    Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

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