James 5:1

1 age nunc divites plorate ululantes in miseriis quae advenient vobis

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James 5:1 Meaning and Commentary

James 5:1

Go to now, ye rich men
All rich men are not here designed; there are some rich men who are good men, and make a good use of their riches, and do not abuse them, as these here are represented; and yet wicked rich men, or those that were the openly profane, are not here intended neither; for the apostle only writes to such who were within the church, and not without, who were professors of religion; and such rich men are addressed here, who, notwithstanding their profession, were not rich towards God, but laid up treasure for themselves, and trusted in their riches, and boasted of the multitude of their wealth; and did not trust in God, and make use of their substance to his glory, and the good of his interest, as they should have done:

weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you;
meaning, not temporal calamities that should come upon them at the destruction of Jerusalem, in which the rich greatly suffered by the robbers among themselves, as well as by the Roman soldiers; for the apostle is not writing to the Jews in Judea, and at Jerusalem; but to the Christians of the twelve tribes scattered in the several parts of the world, and who were not distressed by that calamity; but eternal miseries, or the torments of hell are intended, which, unless they repented of their sins, would shortly, suddenly, and unavoidably come upon them, when their present joy and laughter would be turned into howling and weeping.

James 5:1 In-Context

1 age nunc divites plorate ululantes in miseriis quae advenient vobis
2 divitiae vestrae putrefactae sunt et vestimenta vestra a tineis comesta sunt
3 aurum et argentum vestrum eruginavit et erugo eorum in testimonium vobis erit et manducabit carnes vestras sicut ignis thesaurizastis in novissimis diebus
4 ecce merces operariorum qui messuerunt regiones vestras qui fraudatus est a vobis clamat et clamor ipsorum in aures Domini Sabaoth introiit
5 epulati estis super terram et in luxuriis enutristis corda vestra in die occisionis
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.