Not being able to figure things out is better than laughter. That’s because sorrow is good for the heart.

忧愁强如喜笑；因为面带愁容，终必使心喜乐。

忧愁强如喜笑，因为面带愁容，终必使心喜乐。

忧愁强如喜笑，因为面带愁容，终必使心喜乐。

哀伤胜过欢笑，因为哀伤磨炼人的心灵。

忧愁胜于嬉笑，因为面带愁容，能使内心得着好处。

忧烦好过欢笑，因为面带愁容，心也能喜乐。

憂愁強如喜笑；因為面帶愁容，終必使心喜樂。

憂愁強如喜笑，因為面帶愁容，終必使心喜樂。

憂愁強如喜笑，因為面帶愁容，終必使心喜樂。

哀傷勝過歡笑，因為哀傷磨煉人的心靈。

憂愁勝於嬉笑，因為面帶愁容，能使內心得著好處。

愁苦比喜笑好，因為由於愁容、心就好些。

憂煩好過歡笑，因為面帶愁容，心也能喜樂。

憂戚愈於嬉笑、蓋面有憂、致心正焉、

喜笑不如憂愁、色雖有憂、心則克正。

憂愁愈於嬉笑、因面有憂容、心必向善、

Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.

Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.

Grief is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad.

Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.

Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better.

Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.

Grief is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be glad.

Sorrow[ is] better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

Sorrow is better than laughter, because sober reflection is good for the heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good.

Now I am happy. I’m not happy because you were made sad. I’m happy because your sadness led you to turn away from your sins. You became sad just as God wanted you to. So you were not hurt in any way by us.Godly sadness causes us to turn away from our sins and be saved. And we are certainly not sorry about that! But worldly sadness brings death.Look at what that godly sadness has produced in you. You are working hard to clear yourselves. You are angry and alarmed. You are longing to see me. You are concerned. You are ready to make sure that the right thing is done. In every way you have proved that you are not guilty in that matter.

And that’s not all. We are full of joy even when we suffer. We know that our suffering gives us the strength to go on.The strength to go on produces character. Character produces hope.

Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Make your hearts pure, you who can’t make up your minds.Be full of sorrow. Cry and weep. Change your laughter to mourning. Change your joy to sadness.Be humble in front of the Lord. And he will lift you up.

Those who cry as they plant their crops will sing with joy when they gather them in.Those who go out weeping as they carry seeds to plant will come back singing with joy. They will bring the new crop back with them.

I will bring them from the land of the north. I will gather them from one end of the earth to the other. Even those who are blind and those who can’t walk will be among them. Pregnant women and women having their babies will be among them also. Many of them will return.Their eyes will be filled with tears as they come. They will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water. I will lead them on a level path where they will not trip or fall. I am Israel’s father. And Ephraim is my oldest son.

“ I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on David’s family line. I will also send it on those who live in Jerusalem. They will look to me. I am the one they have pierced. They will mourn over me as someone mourns over an only child who has died. They will be full of sorrow over me. Their sorrow will be just like someone’s sorrow over an oldest son.At that time there will be a lot of weeping in Jerusalem. It will be as great as the weeping of the people at Hadad Rimmon. Hadad Rimmon is in the valley of Megiddo. They were weeping over Josiah’s death.Everyone in the land will mourn. Each family will mourn by themselves and their wives by themselves. That will include the family lines of David, Nathan,Levi, Shimei andall the others.

What I’m about to tell you is true. You will weep and mourn while the world is full of joy. You will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy.A woman giving birth to a baby has pain. That’s because her time to give birth has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She forgets because she is so happy that a baby has been born into the world.That’s the way it is with you. Now it’s your time to be sad. But I will see you again. Then you will be full of joy. And no one will take away your joy.

Our parents trained us for a little while. They did what they thought was best. But God trains us for our good. He does this so we may share in his holiness.No training seems pleasant at the time. In fact, it seems painful. But later on it produces a harvest of godliness and peace. It does this for those who have been trained by it.

It was good for me to suffer. That’s what helped me to understand your orders.

Our troubles are small. They last only for a short time. But they are earning for us a glory that will last forever. It is greater than all our troubles.

The Lord says,“ A voice is heard in Ramah. It is the sound of weeping and deep sadness. Rachel is weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted, because they are gone.”The Lord says,“ Do not weep anymore. Do not let tears fall from your eyes. I will reward you for your work,” announces the Lord.“ Your children will return from the land of the enemy.So there is hope for your children,” announces the Lord.“ Your children will return to their own land.“ I have heard the groans of Ephraim’s people. They say,‘ You corrected us like a calf you were training. And we have been trained. Bring us back to you, and we will come back. You are the Lord our God.After we wandered away from you, we turned away from our sins. After we learned our lesson, we beat our chests in sorrow. We were full of shame. What we did when we were young brought dishonor on us.’Aren’t the people of Ephraim my dear children? Aren’t they the children I take delight in? I often speak against them. But I still remember them. So my heart longs for them. I love them with a tender love,” announces the Lord.

How terrible for you who are well fed now! You will go hungry. How terrible for you who laugh now! You will cry and be sad.

Before I went through suffering, I went down the wrong path. But now I obey your word.

At that time I was very sad for three weeks.I didn’t eat any rich food. No meat or wine touched my lips. I didn’t use any lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

My brothers and sisters, you will face all kinds of trouble. When you do, think of it as pure joy.Your faith will be tested. You know that when this happens it will produce in you the strength to continue.And you must allow this strength to finish its work. Then you will be all you should be. You will have everything you need.

“ Do not be afraid,” he said.“ You are highly respected. May peace be with you! Be strong now. Be strong.” When he spoke to me, I became stronger. I said,“ Speak, my master. You have given me strength.”

“ The days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time the people of Israel and Judah will gather together. They will come in tears to me. I am the Lord their God.They will ask how to get to Zion. Then they will turn their faces toward it. They will come and join themselves to me. They will enter into the covenant I make with them. It will last forever. It will never be forgotten.

Blessed are you who are hungry now. You will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are sad now. You will laugh.

So I prayed to the Lord God. I begged him. I made many appeals to him. I didn’t eat anything. I put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. And I sat down in ashes.I prayed to the Lord my God. I admitted that we had sinned. I said,“ Lord, you are a great and wonderful God. You keep the covenant you made with all those who love you and obey your commandments. You show them your love.We have sinned and done what is wrong. We have been evil. We have refused to obey you. We have turned away from your commands and laws.We haven’t listened to your servants the prophets. They spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our people of long ago. They also brought your message to all our people in the land.“ Lord, you always do what is right. But we are covered with shame today. We are the people of Judah and Jerusalem. All of us are Israelites, no matter where we live. We are now living in many countries. You scattered us among the nations because we weren’t faithful to you.Lord, we are covered with shame. So are our kings and princes, and our people of long ago. We have sinned against you.You are the Lord our God. You show us your tender love. You forgive us. But we have turned against you.You are the Lord our God. But we haven’t obeyed you. We haven’t kept the laws you gave us through your servants the prophets.All the people of Israel have broken your law and turned away from it. They have refused to obey you.“ Curses and warnings are written down in the Law of Moses. He was your servant. Those curses have been poured out on us. That’s because we have sinned against you.The warnings you gave us and our rulers have come true. You have brought great trouble on us. Nothing like what has been done to Jerusalem has ever happened anywhere else on earth.The curses that are written in the Law of Moses have fallen on us. We have received nothing but trouble. You are the Lord our God. But we haven’t asked for your favor. We haven’t turned away from our sins. We’ve refused to pay attention to the laws you gave us.Lord, you didn’t hold back from bringing this trouble on us. You always do what is right. But we haven’t obeyed you.“ Lord our God, you used your mighty hand to bring your people out of Egypt. You made a name for yourself. It is still great to this day. But we have sinned. We’ve done what is wrong.Lord, you saved your people before. So turn your great anger away from Jerusalem again. After all, it is your city. It’s your holy mountain. You have made those who live around us think little of Jerusalem and your people. That’s because we have sinned. Our people before us did evil things too.“ Our God, hear my prayers. Pay attention to the appeals I make to you. Lord, have mercy on your temple that has been destroyed. Do it for your own honor.Our God, please listen to us. The city that belongs to you has been destroyed. Open your eyes and see it. We aren’t asking you to answer our prayers because we are godly. Instead, we’re asking you to do it because you love us so much.Lord, please listen! Lord, please forgive us! Lord, hear our prayers! Take action for your own honor. Our God, please don’t wait. Your city and your people belong to you.”