James

論舌頭

1我的弟兄們，不要多人作師傅，因為曉得我們要受更重的判斷。

2原來我們在許多事上都有過失；若有人在話語上沒有過失，他就是完全人，也能勒住自己的全身。

3我們若把嚼環放在馬嘴裏，叫牠順服，就能調動牠的全身。

4看哪，船隻雖然甚大，又被大風催逼，只用小小的舵，就隨着掌舵的意思轉動。

5這樣，舌頭在百體裏也是最小的，卻能說大話。 看哪，最小的火能點着最大的樹林。

6舌頭就是火，在我們百體中，舌頭是個罪惡的世界，能污穢全身，也能把生命的輪子點起來，並且是從地獄裏點着的。

7各類的走獸、飛禽、昆蟲、水族，本來都可以制伏，也已經被人制伏了；

8惟獨舌頭沒有人能制伏，是不止息的惡物，滿了害死人的毒氣。

9我們用舌頭頌讚那為主、為父的，又用舌頭咒詛那照着上帝形像被造的人。

10頌讚和咒詛從一個口裏出來！我的弟兄們，這是不應當的！

11泉源從一個眼裏能發出甜苦兩樣的水嗎？

12我的弟兄們，無花果樹能生橄欖嗎？葡萄樹能結無花果嗎？鹹水裏也不能發出甜水來。

論從上頭來的智慧

13你們中間誰是有智慧有見識的呢？他就當在智慧的溫柔上顯出他的善行來。

14你們心裏若懷着苦毒的嫉妒和紛爭，就不可自誇，也不可說謊話抵擋真道。

15這樣的智慧不是從上頭來的，乃是屬地的，屬情慾的，屬鬼魔的。

16在何處有嫉妒、紛爭，就在何處有擾亂和各樣的壞事。

17惟獨從上頭來的智慧，先是清潔，後是和平，溫良柔順，滿有憐憫，多結善果，沒有偏見，沒有假冒。

18並且使人和平的，是用和平所栽種的義果。

1Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.

2For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.

3Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body.

4Behold,the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires.

5So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest!

6And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.

7For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind;

8but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God.

10Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.

11Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water?

12Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.

13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.

14But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth.

15This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.

16For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.

17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

18Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.