Jakob 3

1 Mine Brødre! ikke mange af Eder blive Lærere, vidende, at vi skulle faae større Ansvar.2 Thi vi støde alle an i mange Ting; dersom Nogen ikke støder an i sin Tale, denne er en fuldkommen Mand, istand til at holde det ganske Legeme i Tømme.3 See, vi lægge Bidsler i Hestenes Munde, at de skulle adlyde os, og vi vende deres ganske Legeme.4 See, ogsaa Skibene, enddog de ere saa store og drives af stærke Veir, vendes med et saae lidet Roer, hvor Styrmandens Fart vil hen.5 Saaledes er og Tungen et lidet lem, men pukker storligen. See, en liden Ild, hvor stor en Skov antænder den!6 Ogsaa Tungen er en Ild, en Verden af Uretfærdighed! Saaledes er Tungen iblandt voreLemmer; den besmitter det ganske Legeme og sætter Slægt efter Slægt i Brand, selv fat i Brand af Helvede.7 Thi al natur, baade Dyrs og Fugles, baade Ormes og Havdyrs, tæmmes og er tæmmet af den menneskelige natur;8 men Tungen kan intet Menneske tæmme, det ustyrlige Onde, fuld af dødelig Forgift.9 Med den velsigne vi Gud og Faderen, og med den forbande vi Menneskene, som ere gjorte efter Guds Lignelse.10 Af dem samme Mund udgaaer Velsignelse og Forbandelse. Mine Brødre! dette bør ikke saa at være.11 Mon en Kilde kan udgyde af det samme Væld sødt Vand og beesk?12 Mon et Figentræ, mine Brødre! kan give Oliven, eller et Viintræ Figen? Saa kan ingen Kilde give salt og sødt Vand.13 Er Nogen viis og forstandig iblandt Eder, han vise ved god Omgængelse sine Gjerninger i Viis Sagtmodighed.14 Men have I beesk Nid og Kivagtighed i Eders hjerter, de roser Eder ikke, eller lyver mod Sandheden.15 Denne er ikke Viisdommen, som kommer ovenfra, men jordisk, kjødelig, djævelesk;16 thi hvor Nid og Trætte er, der er Forvirring og al ond handel.17 Men den Viisdom herovenfra er først reen, dernæst fredsommelig, billig, lader sig gjerne sige, er fuld af Barmhjertighed og gode Frugter, upartisk og uden Skrømt.18 Men Retfærdigheds Frugt saaes i Fred for dem, som holde Fred.

James 3

The Power of the Tongue

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters,t because you know that we will be judged more strictly.t2 For we all stumblet in many ways. If someone does not stumblet in what he says,t he is a perfect individual,t able to control the entire body as well.3 And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies.t4 Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs.5 So too the tongue is a small part of the body,t yet it has great pretensions.t Thinkt how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze.

6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue representst the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. Itt pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence – and is set on fire by hell.s
7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creaturet is subdued and has been subdued by humankind.t8 But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restlesss evil, full of deadly poison.9 With it we bless the Lords and Father, and with it we curse peoplet made in God’s image.10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters.t11 A spring does not pour out fresh water and bitter water from the same opening, does it?

12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters,t or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.

True Wisdom

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings.t14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth.15 Sucht wisdom does not comet from above but is earthly, natural,t demonic.16 For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice.17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating,t full of mercy and good fruit,t impartial, and not hypocritical.t

18 And the fruit that consists of righteousnesst is plantedt in peace amongt those who make peace.