James 5:1
New International Version
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you.

New Living Translation
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.

English Standard Version
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.

Berean Standard Bible
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.

Berean Literal Bible
Come now, you rich, weep, wailing over the miseries that are coming upon you.

King James Bible
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

New King James Version
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

New American Standard Bible
Come now, you rich people, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.

NASB 1995
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.

NASB 1977
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.

Legacy Standard Bible
Come now, you rich, cry, howling over your miseries which are coming upon you.

Amplified Bible
Come [quickly] now, you rich [who lack true faith and hoard and misuse your resources], weep and howl over the miseries [the woes, the judgments] that are coming upon you.

Christian Standard Bible
Come now, you rich people, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Come now, you rich people! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming on you.

American Standard Version
Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.

Contemporary English Version
You rich people should cry and weep! Terrible things are going to happen to you.

English Revised Version
Go to now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Pay attention to this if you're rich. Cry and moan about the misery that is coming to you.

Good News Translation
And now, you rich people, listen to me! Weep and wail over the miseries that are coming upon you!

International Standard Version
Now listen, you rich people! Cry and moan over the miseries that are overtaking you.

Majority Standard Bible
Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you.

NET Bible
Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you.

New Heart English Bible
Come now, you rich, weep and cry aloud for your miseries that are coming on you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Come now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

Weymouth New Testament
Come, you rich men, weep aloud and howl for your sorrows which will soon be upon you.

World English Bible
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming on you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Go, now, you rich! Weep, howling over your miseries that are coming on [you];

Berean Literal Bible
Come now, you rich, weep, wailing over the miseries that are coming upon you.

Young's Literal Translation
Go, now, ye rich! weep, howling over your miseries that are coming upon you;

Smith's Literal Translation
Come on now, ye rich, weep, uttering loud cries of grief for the misfortunes coming upon you.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl in your miseries, which shall come upon you.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Act now, you who are wealthy! Weep and wail in your miseries, which will soon come upon you!

New American Bible
Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.

New Revised Standard Version
Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
O YOU rich men, weep and howl for the miseries which shall come upon you!

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Oh rich men, wail and weep over the miseries which are coming upon you!
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Come, now, you rich men, weep and lament for your miseries that are coming upon you.

Godbey New Testament
Come now, ye rich, weep mourning over your calamities which are coming on you.

Haweis New Testament
COME now, ye rich men, let your tears run down, howling over your miseries which are coming upon you.

Mace New Testament
As for you that are rich: weep, and lament the miserys that are falling upon you.

Weymouth New Testament
Come, you rich men, weep aloud and howl for your sorrows which will soon be upon you.

Worrell New Testament
Come now, ye rich, weep, howling over your miseries that are coming upon you!

Worsley New Testament
Weep now, ye rich men, and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Warning to the Rich
1Come now, you who are rich, weep and wail over the misery to come upon you. 2Your riches have rotted and moths have eaten your clothes.…

Cross References
Luke 6:24
But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.

1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. / For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Matthew 19:23-24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. / Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Revelation 18:11-17
And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— / cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; / of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and carriages; of bodies and souls of slaves. ...

Proverbs 11:28
He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like foliage.

Ezekiel 7:19
They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. / For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. / The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Zephaniah 1:18
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the Day of the LORD’s wrath. The whole earth will be consumed by the fire of His jealousy.” For indeed, He will make a sudden end of all who dwell on the earth.

Isaiah 2:20
In that day men will cast away to the moles and bats their idols of silver and gold—the idols they made to worship.

Luke 12:15-21
And He said to them, “Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” / Then He told them a parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced an abundance. / So he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops?’ ...

Jeremiah 17:11
Like a partridge hatching eggs it did not lay is the man who makes a fortune unjustly. In the middle of his days his riches will desert him, and in the end he will be the fool.”

Ecclesiastes 5:10-14
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile. / When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes? / The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. ...

Mark 10:23-25
Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” / And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! / It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Psalm 49:6-10
They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches. / No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God. / For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice, ...


Treasury of Scripture

Go to now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come on you.

Go.

James 4:13
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

ye.

James 1:11
For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

James 2:6
But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

Deuteronomy 8:12-14
Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; …

weep.

James 4:9
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Isaiah 13:6
Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

Isaiah 22:12,13
And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: …

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James 5
1. Rich oppressors are to fear God's vengeance.
7. We ought to be patient in afflictions, after the example of the prophets, and Job;
12. to forbear swearing;
13. to pray in adversity, to sing in prosperity;
14. to acknowledge mutually our several faults, to pray one for another;
19. and to correct a straying brother.














Come now
This phrase serves as a call to attention, urging the audience to listen closely. In the Greek, "Ἄγε νῦν" (age nyn) is an imperative, suggesting urgency and importance. James uses this phrase to transition into a stern warning, emphasizing the seriousness of the message. It is a rhetorical device that demands the reader's focus, much like a prophet calling the people to heed God's word. This call to attention is a reminder that the message is not just for the original audience but for all believers across time.

you who are rich
The term "rich" here is "πλούσιοι" (plousioi) in Greek, referring to those who possess an abundance of material wealth. In the historical context of the early church, wealth was often associated with power and influence. However, James is not condemning wealth itself but the attitudes and behaviors that often accompany it. The rich are called to examine their hearts and the source of their security. This phrase challenges believers to consider where their true treasure lies, echoing Jesus' teachings in the Gospels about storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth.

weep and wail
The Greek words "κλαίω" (klaio) and "ὀλολύζω" (ololyzo) are used here, both conveying intense expressions of sorrow and lamentation. This imagery is reminiscent of the Old Testament prophets who called for repentance through mourning and lament. The call to "weep and wail" is a prophetic warning, urging the rich to recognize the spiritual peril they face. It is a call to repentance, to turn away from the false security of wealth and towards God. This phrase serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly riches and the eternal significance of spiritual wealth.

over the misery
The word "misery" is translated from the Greek "ταλαιπωρία" (talaiporia), which denotes hardship, distress, or suffering. This term underscores the inevitable consequences of placing trust in material wealth. James warns that the pursuit of riches without regard for righteousness leads to spiritual desolation. The misery mentioned is not just a future judgment but also the present emptiness that comes from a life centered on wealth. This serves as a sobering reminder of the futility of earthly pursuits when they are detached from God's purposes.

to come upon you
This phrase indicates the certainty and imminence of the consequences that await those who misuse their wealth. The Greek "ἐπερχομένην" (eperchomenen) suggests an impending event, something that is approaching and unavoidable. James is emphasizing the reality of divine judgment, which will come upon those who have placed their trust in riches rather than in God. This serves as a call to self-examination and repentance, urging believers to align their lives with God's will and to seek treasures that are eternal. The phrase is a reminder of the ultimate accountability all will face before God.

(1) Go to now, ye rich.--As in James 4:3, it was "Woe to you, worldly," so now "Woe to ye rich: weep, bewailing"--literally, howling for your miseries coming upon you. Comp. Isaiah 13:6; Isaiah 14:31; Isaiah 15:3, where (in the LXX.) the same term is used;--a picture word, imitating the cry of anguish,--peculiar to this place in the New Testament. Observe the immediate future of the misery; it is already coming. Doubtless by this was meant primarily the pillage and destruction of Jerusalem, but under that first intention many others secondary and similar are included: for all "riches certainly make themselves wings" and fly away (Proverbs 23:5). Calvin and others of his school fail to see in this passage an exhortation of the rich to penitence, but only a denunciation of woe upon them; in the sense, however, that all prophecy, whether evil or good, is conditional, there is sufficient room to believe that no irrevocable doom was pronounced by "a Christian Jeremiah."

Verses 1-6. - DENUNCIATION OF THE RICH FOR

(1) GRINDING DOWN THE POOR AND KEEPING BACK THEIR WAGES;

(2) LUXURY;

(3) MURDER. . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Come
Ἄγε (Age)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 71: A primary verb; properly, to lead; by implication, to bring, drive, go, pass, or induce.

now,
νῦν (nyn)
Adverb
Strong's 3568: A primary particle of present time; 'now'; also as noun or adjective present or immediate.

[you who are]
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

rich,
πλούσιοι (plousioi)
Adjective - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4145: Rich, abounding in, wealthy; subst: a rich man. From ploutos; wealthy; figuratively, abounding with.

weep
κλαύσατε (klausate)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2799: To weep, weep for, mourn, lament. Of uncertain affinity; to sob, i.e. Wail aloud.

[and] wail
ὀλολύζοντες (ololyzontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3649: To howl, lament loudly, cry aloud, bewail. A reduplicated primary verb; to 'howl' or 'halloo', i.e. Shriek.

for
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

the
ταῖς (tais)
Article - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

misery
ταλαιπωρίαις (talaipōriais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 5004: Hardship, misery, distress, toil. From talaiporos; wretchedness, i.e. Calamity.

to come
ἐπερχομέναις (eperchomenais)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1904: From epi and erchomai; to supervene, i.e. Arrive, occur, impend, attack, influence.

upon you.
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.


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NT Letters: James 5:1 Come now you rich weep and howl (Ja Jas. Jam)
James 4:17
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