A.T. Robertson Commentary James 5:1

"Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you." — James 5:1 (ASV)

Come now, ye rich (αγε νυν ο πλουσιο). Exclamatory interjection as in 4:13. Direct address to the rich as a class as in 1 Timothy 6:17. Apparently here James has in mind the rich as a class, whether believer, as in 1:10f. , or unbeliever, as in 2:1f.,6. The plea here is not directly for reform, but a warning of certain judgment (5:1-6) and for Christians "a certain grim comfort in the hardships of poverty" (Ropes) in 5:7-11.

Weep and howl (κλαυσατε ολολυζοντες). "Burst into weeping (ingressive aorist active imperative of κλαιω as in 4:9), howling with grief" (present active participle of the old onomatopoetic verb ολολυζω, here only in N.T., like Latin ululare, with which compare αλαλαζω in Mt 5:38.

For your miseries (επ ταις ταλαιπωριαις υμων). Old word from ταλαιπωρος (Romans 7:24) and like ταλαιπωρεω in James 4:9 (from τλαω to endure and πωρος a callus).

That are coming upon you (ταις επερχομεναις). Present middle participle of the old compound επερχομα to come upon, used here in futuristic prophetic sense.