James 4:14 “You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You…”

James 4:14

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

World English Bible

Yet you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

American Standard Version

whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Geneva Bible 1599

(And yet ye cannot tell what shalbe to morowe. For what is your life? It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a litle time, and afterward vanisheth away)

Darby Translation

ye who do not know what will be on the morrow, ([for] what [is] your life? It is even a vapour, appearing for a little while, and then disappearing,)

Young's Literal Translation

who do not know the thing of the morrow; for what is your life? for it is a vapour that is appearing for a little, and then is vanishing;

Bible in Basic English

When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone.

.mt-body { max-height: none !important; -webkit-mask-image: none !important; mask-image: none !important; } .mt-bar { display: none !important; } .o-trans::after { display: block !important; }

Cross references

“a vapour”

1 Peter 1:24 Psalm 39:5 1 John 2:17 Psalm 102:3 James 1:10 Psalm 90:5–7

1 Peter 1:24 · BSB

For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,

Psalm 39:5 · BSB

You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You. Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath. Selah

1 John 2:17 · BSB

The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Psalm 102:3 · BSB

For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers.

James 1:10 · BSB

But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.

Psalm 90:5–7 · BSB

You sweep them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning—

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”

15Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”

Read James 4