The Tongue
1 My friends, not many of you should become teachers. As you know, we teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others. 2 All of us often make mistakes. But if a person never makes a mistake in what he says, he is perfect and is also able to control his whole being. 3 We put a bit into the mouth of a horse to make it obey us, and we are able to make it go where we want. 4 Or think of a ship: big as it is and driven by such strong winds, it can be steered by a very small rudder, and it goes wherever the pilot wants it to go. 5 So it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things.
Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame! 6 And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself. 7 We humans are able to tame and have tamed all other creatures—wild animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 8 But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison. 9 We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse other people, who are created in the likeness of God. 10 Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My friends, this should not happen! 11 No spring of water pours out sweet water and bitter water from the same opening. 12 A fig tree, my friends, cannot bear olives; a grapevine cannot bear figs, nor can a salty spring produce sweet water.
The Wisdom from Above
13 Are there any of you who are wise and understanding? You are to prove it by your good life, by your good deeds performed with humility and wisdom. 14 But if in your heart you are jealous, bitter, and selfish, don't sin against the truth by boasting of your wisdom. 15 Such wisdom does not come down from heaven; it belongs to the world, it is unspiritual and demonic. 16 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is also disorder and every kind of evil. 17 But the wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy. 18 And goodness is the harvest that is produced from the seeds the peacemakers plant in peace.
1 Netopiet, mani brāļi, daudzi par mācītājiem, zinādami, ka mēs nāksim grūtākā tiesā; 2 jo mēs visi daudzējādi klūpam. Ja kāds vārdā neklūp, tas ir pilnīgs vīrs, spējīgs savaldīt savu miesu. 3 Ja zirgiem liekam iemauktus mutē, lai tos darītu sev paklausīgus, mēs valdām līdz arī visu viņu augumu. 4 Lūk, arī laivas, lai gan tās ir tik lielas, un skarbi vēji tās mētā, jo sīka stūre tās vada, kurp tiecas vadītājs. 5 Tāpat arī mēle ir mazs loceklis un veic lielas lietas. Redzi, kāda maza uguns iededzina kādu lielu mežu! 6 Un arī mēle ir kā uguns, netaisnības pasaule, mēle ir likta starp mūsu locekļiem, tā apgāna visu miesu un aizdedzina dzīves ritumu, jo pati ir elles aizdedzināta. 7 Jo katras sugas zvēru un putnu, rāpuļu un jūras dzīvnieku dabu savalda un ir savaldījusi cilvēka daba; 8 bet mēli neviens cilvēks nevar savaldīt: nemitīgs ļaunums, pilns nāvējošas indes. 9 Ar viņu mēs slavējam To Kungu un Tēvu, ar viņu mēs lādam cilvēkus, pēc Dieva līdzības radītus. 10 No tās pašas mutes iziet svētība un lāsts. Tam, mani brāļi, nebūs tā notikt! 11 Vai arī avots izverd no vienas mutes saldu un rūgtu? 12 Vai, mani brāļi, vīģes koks var nest eļļas koka augļus un vīnakoks vīģes? Tāpat arī sāļš avots nevar dot saldu ūdeni. 13 Kas jūsu starpā ir gudrs un sapratīgs, tas lai, pareizi dzīvodams, uzrāda savus darbus, darītus gudrā lēnprātībā. 14 Bet, ja jums sirdī ir rūgta skaudība un ķildas, tad nelielieties un nemelojiet pret patiesību. 15 Tā gudrība nav no debesīm, bet no zemes nākoša, no dabas, no sātana; 16 jo, kur ir skaudība un ķildas, tur ir juceklis un visāda nelietība. 17 Tā gudrība, kas nāk no augšienes, vispirms ir šķīsta, tad miermīlīga, lēnīga, paklausīga, pilna žēlastības un labu augļu, taisnīga, bez liekulības. 18 Bet taisnības auglis mierā top sēts tiem, kas mieru tur.
