James 3

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Taming the Tongue

¹Μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε ἀδελφοί μου εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρίμα λημψόμεθα

¹Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

²πολλὰ γὰρ πταίομεν ἅπαντες εἴ τις ἐν λόγῳ οὐ πταίει οὗτος τέλειος ἀνήρ δυνατὸς χαλιναγωγῆσαι καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα

²We 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.

³Εἰ δὲ τῶν ἵππων τοὺς χαλινοὺς εἰς τὰ στόματα βάλλομεν εἰς τὸ πείθεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἡμῖν καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα αὐτῶν μετάγομεν

³When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can guide the whole animal.

⁴ἰδοὺ καὶ τὰ πλοῖα τηλικαῦτα ὄντα καὶ ὑπὸ ἀνέμων σκληρῶν ἐλαυνόμενα μετάγεται ὑπὸ ἐλαχίστου πηδαλίου ὅπου ἡ ὁρμὴ τοῦ εὐθύνοντος βούλεται

⁴Consider ships as well. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined.

⁵Οὕτως καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα μικρὸν μέλος ἐστὶν καὶ μεγάλα αὐχεῖ ἰδοὺ ἡλίκον πῦρ ἡλίκην ὕλην ἀνάπτει

⁵In 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.

⁶καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας ἡ γλῶσσα καθίσταται ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν ἡ σπιλοῦσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα καὶ φλογίζουσα τὸν τροχὸν τῆς γενέσεως καὶ φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης

⁶The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness 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.^a

⁷Πᾶσα γὰρ φύσις θηρίων τε καὶ πετεινῶν ἑρπετῶν τε καὶ ἐναλίων δαμάζεται καὶ δεδάμασται τῇ φύσει τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ

⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,

⁸τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν οὐδεὶς δαμάσαι δύναται ἀνθρώπων ἀκατάστατον κακόν μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου

⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹Ἐν αὐτῇ εὐλογοῦμεν τὸν Κύριον καὶ Πατέρα καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ καταρώμεθα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς καθ’ ὁμοίωσιν Θεοῦ γεγονότας

⁹With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.

¹⁰ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ στόματος ἐξέρχεται εὐλογία καὶ κατάρα οὐ χρή ἀδελφοί μου ταῦτα οὕτως γίνεσθαι

¹⁰Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!

¹¹μήτι ἡ πηγὴ ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ὀπῆς βρύει τὸ γλυκὺ καὶ τὸ πικρόν

¹¹Can both fresh water and salt water^a flow from the same spring?

¹²μὴ δύναται ἀδελφοί μου συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα οὔτε ἁλυκὸν γλυκὺ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ

¹²My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring^a produce fresh water.

The Wisdom from Above

¹³Τίς σοφὸς καὶ ἐπιστήμων ἐν ὑμῖν δειξάτω ἐκ τῆς καλῆς ἀναστροφῆς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας

¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

¹⁴εἰ δὲ ζῆλον πικρὸν ἔχετε καὶ ἐριθείαν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ὑμῶν μὴ κατακαυχᾶσθε καὶ ψεύδεσθε κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας

¹⁴But if you harbor bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast in it or deny the truth.

¹⁵οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν κατερχομένη ἀλλὰ ἐπίγειος ψυχική δαιμονιώδης

¹⁵Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

¹⁶ὅπου γὰρ ζῆλος καὶ ἐριθεία ἐκεῖ ἀκαταστασία καὶ πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα

¹⁶For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷Ἡ δὲ ἄνωθεν σοφία πρῶτον μὲν ἁγνή ἐστιν ἔπειτα εἰρηνική ἐπιεικής εὐπειθής μεστὴ ἐλέους καὶ καρπῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀδιάκριτος ἀνυπόκριτος

¹⁷But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

¹⁸καρπὸς δὲ δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην

¹⁸Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.^a