James

论舌头

1我的弟兄们，不要多人作师傅，因为晓得我们要受更重的判断。

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 神形象被造的人。

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。

论从上头来的智慧

13你们中间谁是有智慧有见识的呢？他就当在智慧的温柔上显出他的善行来。

14你们心里若怀着苦毒的嫉妒和纷争，就不可自夸，也不可说谎话抵挡真道。

15这样的智慧不是从上头来的，乃是属地的，属情欲的，属鬼魔的。

16在何处有嫉妒、纷争，就在何处有扰乱和各样的坏事。

17惟独从上头来的智慧，先是清洁，后是和平，温良柔顺，满有怜悯，多结善果，没有偏见，没有假冒。

18并且使人和平的，是用和平所栽种的义果。

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.