CHAPTER 3
1 My brethren, do not ye be made many masters, witting that ye take the more doom.
2 For all we offend in many things. If any man offendeth not in word, this is a perfect man, for also he may lead about all the body with a bridle.
3 For if we put bridles into horses’ mouths, for to consent to us, and we lead about all the body of them.
4 And lo! ships, when they be great, and be driven of strong winds, yet they be borne about of a little rudder, where the moving of the governor will.
5 So also the tongue is but a little member, and raiseth great things. Lo! how little fire burneth [or kindleth] a full great wood.
6 And our tongue is fire, the university of wickedness. The tongue is ordained in our members, which defouleth all the body; and it is enflamed, [or set afire], of hell, and enflameth the wheel of our birth.
7 And all the kind of beasts, and of fowls, and of serpents, and of others is chastised, and those be made tame of man’s kind;
8 but no man may chastise the tongue, for it is an unpeaceable evil, and full of deadly venom.
9 In it we bless God, the Father, and in it we curse men, that be made to the likeness of God.
10 Of the same mouth passeth [or cometh] forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, it behooveth not that these things be done so.
11 Whether a well of the same hole bringeth forth sweet and salt water?
12 My brethren, whether a fig tree may make grapes, either a vine figs? So neither salt water may make sweet water.
13 Who is wise, and taught among you? show he of good living his working [or his work], in mildness of his wisdom.
14 That if ye have bitter envy, and strivings [or strives] be in your hearts, do not ye have glory, and be liars against the truth.
15 For this wisdom is not from above coming down, but earthly, and beastly, and fiendly.
16 For where is envy and strife, there is unsteadfastness and all shrewd work.
17 But wisdom that is from above, first it is chaste, afterward peaceable, mild, able to be counselled [or persuadable], consenting to good things, full of mercy and of good fruits, deeming without feigning.
18 And the fruit of rightwiseness is sown in peace, to men that make peace.