James 3

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

Μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε, ἀδελφοί μου, εἰδότες ὅτι μεῖζον κρίμα λημψόμεθα.

² 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.

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

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

τῶν ἵππων τοὺς χαλινοὺς εἰς τὰ στόματα βάλλομεν τὸ πείθεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἡμῖν, καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα αὐτῶν μετάγομεν.

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 pilot is inclined.

ἰδοὺ καὶ τὰ πλοῖα, τηλικαῦτα ὄντα καὶ ὑπὸ σκληρῶν ἐλαυνόμενα, μετάγεται ὑπὸ ἐλαχίστου πηδαλίου ὅπου ἂν ἡ ὁρμὴ τοῦ εὐθύνοντος

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 μικρὸν μέλος ἐστὶν καὶ αὐχεῖ. ἰδοὺ πῦρ ἡλίκην ὕλην ἀνάπτει·

⁶ The 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.

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

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

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

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

τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν οὐδεὶς δύναται ἀνθρώπων· κακόν, μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου.

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 καὶ πατέρα καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ καταρώμεθα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς καθ᾽ ὁμοίωσιν θεοῦ γεγονότας·

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

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

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

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

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

μὴ δύναται, ἀδελφοί μου, συκῆ ἐλαίας ποιῆσαι ἢ ἄμπελος σῦκα; οὕτως πηγὴ ἁλυκὸν καὶ γλυκὺ ποιῆσαι ὕδωρ.

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 τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πραΰτητι σοφίας.

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

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

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

οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ σοφία ἄνωθεν κατερχομένη, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίγειος ψυχικὴ δαιμονιώδης.

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

ὅπου γὰρ ζῆλος καὶ ἐριθεία, ἐκεῖ ἀκαταστασία καὶ πᾶν φαῦλον πρᾶγμα.

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.

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

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

καρπὸς δὲ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐν εἰρήνῃ σπείρεται τοῖς ποιοῦσιν εἰρήνην.