雅各书3:2-12
2原来我们在许多事上都有过失。若有人在话语上没有过失，他就是完全人，也能勒住自己的全身。3我们若把嚼环放在马嘴里，叫它顺服，就能调动它的全身。4看哪，船只虽然甚大，又被大风催逼，只用小小的舵，就随着掌舵的意思转动。5这样，舌头在百体里也是最小的，却能说大话。看哪，最小的火能点着最大的树林。6舌头就是火，在我们百体中，舌头是个罪恶的世界，能污秽全身，也能把生命的轮子点起来，并且是从地狱里点着的。7各类的走兽，飞禽，昆虫，水族，本来都可以制伏，也已经被人制伏了。8惟独舌头没有人能制伏，是不止息的恶物，满了害死人的毒气。9我们用舌头颂赞那为主为父的，又用舌头咒诅那照着神形像被造的人。10颂赞和咒诅从一个口里出来，我的弟兄们，这是不应当的。11泉源从一个眼里能发出甜苦两样的水吗？12我的弟兄们，无花果树能生橄榄吗？葡萄树能结无花果吗？咸水里也不能发出甜水来。
2Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.#3:6 Or for it will burn in hell (Greek Gehenna). 7People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.#3:12 Greek from salt.
