Chapter 3
Taming the Tongue
1
Not many [of you] should become teachers, my brothers, [because] you know that we [ who teach ] will be judged more strictly.
Μὴ πολλοὶ γίνεσθε διδάσκαλοι μου ἀδελφοί εἰδότες ὅτι λημψόμεθα κρίμα μεῖζον Mē polloi ginesthe didaskaloi mou adelphoi eidotes hoti lēmpsometha krima meizon — NA/TR · 1
2
- vvv We all stumble in many ways. If anyone {is} never at fault in what he says, he [is] a perfect man, able to control [his] whole body.
γὰρ ἅπαντες πταίομεν πολλὰ εἴ τις οὐ πταίει ἐν λόγῳ οὗτος τέλειος ἀνήρ καὶ δυνατὸς χαλιναγωγῆσαι τὸ ὅλον σῶμα gar hapantes ptaiomen polla ei tis ou ptaiei en logō houtos teleios anēr kai dynatos chalinagōgēsai to holon sōma — NA/TR · 2
3
- [When] we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal.
δὲ Εἰ βάλλομεν τοὺς χαλινοὺς εἰς τὰ στόματα τῶν ἵππων εἰς αὐτοὺς τὸ πείθεσθαι ἡμῖν καὶ μετάγομεν αὐτῶν ὅλον τὸ σῶμα de Ei ballomen tous chalinous eis ta stomata tōn hippōn eis autous to peithesthai hēmin kai metagomen autōn holon to sōma — NA/TR · 3
4
Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the vvv pilot is inclined…
ἰδοὺ τὰ πλοῖα καὶ ὄντα τηλικαῦτα καὶ ἐλαυνόμενα ὑπὸ σκληρῶν ἀνέμων μετάγεται ὑπὸ ἐλαχίστου πηδαλίου ὅπου ἡ τοῦ εὐθύνοντος ὁρμὴ βούλεται idou ta ploia kai onta tēlikauta kai elaunomena hypo sklērōn anemōn metagetai hypo elachistou pēdaliou hopou hē tou euthynontos hormē bouletai — NA/TR · 4
5
In the same way…, the tongue is a small part of the body, [but] it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest {ablaze}.
Οὕτως καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα ἐστὶν μικρὸν μέλος καὶ αὐχεῖ μεγάλα ἰδοὺ ἡλίκον πῦρ ἀνάπτει ἡλίκην ὕλην Houtōs kai hē glōssa estin mikron melos kai auchei megala idou hēlikon pyr anaptei hēlikēn hylēn — NA/TR · 5
6
The tongue also [is] a fire, a world of wickedness - vvv among the parts of the [body]. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life {on fire}, and is itself set on fire by hell.
ἡ γλῶσσα καὶ πῦρ ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας ἡ γλῶσσα καθίσταται ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν ἡ σπιλοῦσα τὸ ὅλον σῶμα καὶ φλογίζουσα τὸν τροχὸν τῆς γενέσεως καὶ φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης hē glōssa kai pyr ho kosmos tēs adikias hē glōssa kathistatai en tois melesin hēmōn hē spilousa to holon sōma kai phlogizousa ton trochon tēs geneseōs kai phlogizomenē hypo tēs geennēs — NA/TR · 6
7
- All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man…,
γὰρ Πᾶσα φύσις τε θηρίων καὶ πετεινῶν τε ἑρπετῶν καὶ ἐναλίων δαμάζεται καὶ δεδάμασται τῇ τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει gar Pasa physis te thēriōn kai peteinōn te herpetōn kai enaliōn damazetai kai dedamastai tē tē anthrōpinē physei — NA/TR · 7
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but no man can tame the tongue. [It is] a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
δὲ οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων δύναται δαμάσαι τὴν γλῶσσαν ἀκατάστατον κακόν μεστὴ θανατηφόρου ἰοῦ de oudeis anthrōpōn dynatai damasai tēn glōssan akatastaton kakon mestē thanatēphorou iou — NA/TR · 8
9
With [the tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
Ἐν αὐτῇ εὐλογοῦμεν τὸν Κύριον καὶ Πατέρα καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ καταρώμεθα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς γεγονότας καθ’ Θεοῦ ὁμοίωσιν En autē eulogoumen ton Kyrion kai Patera kai en autē katarōmetha tous anthrōpous tous gegonotas kath’ Theou homoiōsin — NA/TR · 9
10
Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be -!
ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ στόματος ἐξέρχεται εὐλογία καὶ κατάρα μου ἀδελφοί ταῦτα χρή οὐ γίνεσθαι οὕτως ek tou autou stomatos exerchetai eulogia kai katara mou adelphoi tauta chrē ou ginesthai houtōs — NA/TR · 10
11
[Can] [both] fresh [water] and salt [water] flow from the same - spring?
μήτι τὸ γλυκὺ καὶ τὸ πικρόν βρύει ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ὀπῆς ἡ πηγὴ mēti to glyky kai to pikron bryei ek tēs autēs opēs hē pēgē — NA/TR · 11
12
My brothers, vvv can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine [bear] figs? Neither [can] a salt [spring] produce fresh water.
μου ἀδελφοί μὴ δύναται συκῆ ποιῆσαι ἐλαίας ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα οὔτε ἁλυκὸν ποιῆσαι γλυκὺ ὕδωρ mou adelphoi mē dynatai sykē poiēsai elaias ē ampelos syka oute halykon poiēsai glyky hydōr — NA/TR · 12
The Wisdom from Above
13
Who [is] wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by [his] good conduct, [by] deeds [done] in [the] humility that comes from wisdom.
Τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων ἐν ὑμῖν δειξάτω ἐκ τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας Tis sophos kai epistēmōn en hymin deixatō ek tēs kalēs anastrophēs autou ta erga en prautēti sophias — NA/TR · 13
14
But if you {harbor} bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, {do} not boast [in it] or deny… the truth.
δὲ εἰ ἔχετε πικρὸν ζῆλον καὶ ἐριθείαν ἐν ὑμῶν τῇ καρδίᾳ μὴ κατακαυχᾶσθε καὶ ψεύδεσθε κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας de ei echete pikron zēlon kai eritheian en hymōn tē kardia mē katakauchasthe kai pseudesthe kata tēs alētheias — NA/TR · 14
15
Such wisdom [does] not come from above, but [is] earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
αὕτη σοφία ἔστιν οὐκ ἡ κατερχομένη ἄνωθεν ἀλλὰ ἐπίγειος ψυχική δαιμονιώδης hautē sophia estin ouk hē katerchomenē anōthen alla epigeios psychikē daimoniōdēs — NA/TR · 15
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For where jealousy and selfish ambition [exist], there [ will be ] disorder and every evil practice.
γὰρ ὅπου ζῆλος καὶ ἐριθεία ἐκεῖ ἀκαταστασία καὶ πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα gar hopou zēlos kai eritheia ekei akatastasia kai pan phaulon pragma — NA/TR · 16
17
But [the] wisdom from above is first [of all] pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, [and] sincere.
δὲ Ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν ἐστιν πρῶτον μὲν ἁγνή ἔπειτα εἰρηνική ἐπιεικής εὐπειθής μεστὴ ἐλέους καὶ ἀγαθῶν καρπῶν ἀδιάκριτος ἀνυπόκριτος de Hē sophia anōthen estin prōton men hagnē epeita eirēnikē epieikēs eupeithēs mestē eleous kai agathōn karpōn adiakritos anypokritos — NA/TR · 17
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vvv vvv Peacemakers [who] sow in peace [ reap ] [the] fruit of righteousness.
τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην σπείρεται ἐν εἰρήνῃ δὲ καρπὸς δικαιοσύνης tois poiousin eirēnēn speiretai en eirēnē de karpos dikaiosynēs — NA/TR · 18