| 1 My brothers and sisters, don’t all be teachers! You know that, as teachers, we will be judged most strictly; | |
| 2 in fact, we make mistakes, like everybody else. A person who commits no offense in speech is perfect and capable of ruling the whole self. | |
| 3 We put a bit into the horse’s mouth to master it and, with this, we control its whole body. | |
| 4 The same is true of ships: however big they are and driven by strong winds, they are guided by a tiny rudder. | |
| 5 In the same way, the tongue is a tiny part of the body but it is capable of great things. A small flame is enough to set a huge forest on fire. | |
| 6 The tongue is a similar flame; it is in itself a whole world of evil. It infects the whole being and sets fire to our world with the very fire of hell. | |
| 7 Wild animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures of every kind are and have been ruled by the human species. | |
| 8 Nobody, however, can control the tongue; it is an untiring whip, full of deadly poison. | |
| 9 We use it to bless God, our Father, and also to curse those made in God’s likeness. | |
| 10 From the same mouth come both blessing and curse. Brothers and sisters, this should not be the case. | |
| 11 Can both fresh and salt water gush from the same source? | |
| 12 Can a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine give figs? Neither is the sea able to give fresh water. | |
| 13 If you consider yourself wise and learned, show it by your good life and let your actions, in all humility, be an example for others. | |
| 14 But if your heart is full of bitter jealousy and ambition, do not try to show off; that would be covering up the truth; | |
| 15 this kind of wisdom does not come from above but from the world and it is earthly and devilish. | |
| 16 Wherever there is jealousy and ambition, you will also find discord and all that is evil. | |
| 17 Instead, the wisdom that comes from above is pure and peace-loving. Persons with this wisdom show understanding and listen to advice; they are full of compassion and good works; they are impartial and sincere. | |
| 18 Peacemakers who sow peace reap a harvest of justice. | |
