John 16:21

19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
KJV
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
WEB
A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she doesn’t remember the anguish any more, for the joy that a human being is born into the world.
ASV
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a man is born into the world.
DARBY
A woman, when she gives birth to a child, has grief because her hour has come; but when the child is born, she no longer remembers the trouble, on account of the joy that a man has been born into the world.
BLB
The woman has pain when she is giving birth, because her hour has come; but when she brings forth the child, she remembers the tribulation no longer, because of the joy that a man has been born into the world.
ÅB
Når kvinnen føder, har hun sorg, fordi hennes tid er kommet; men når hun har født sitt barn, kommer hun ikke lenger sin trengsel i hu, av glede over at et menneske er født til verden.
OTB
En kvinne som skal føde, har smerte fordi hennes tid er kommet; men når barnet er født, glemmer hun smerten på grunn av gleden over at et menneske er født til verden.
B1930
Når kvinnen føder, har hun sorg, fordi hennes tid er kommet; men når hun har født sitt barn, kommer hun ikke lenger sin trengsel i hu, av glede over at et menneske er født til verden.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Isaiah 13:8

    And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 113:9

    He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

    Read in context
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:3

    For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

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  • Jeremiah 30:6–7

    Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 26:16–18

    LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

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  • Hosea 13:13–14

    The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 12:2–5

    And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

    Read in context
  • Micah 4:10

    Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.

    Read in context