¹Ndugu zangu, wengi wenu msiwe walimu. Kama mjuavyo, sisi walimu tutapata hukumu kubwa zaidi kuliko wengine.

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

²Lakini kama mtu hakosi katika usemi wake, basi, huyo ni mkamilifu, na anaweza kutawala nafsi yake yote.

²For in many things we all stumble. If anyone doesn’t stumble in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.

³Sisi huwatia farasi lijamu kinywani mwao ili watutii; na kwa njia hiyo twaweza kuwaongoza kokote tunakotaka.

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

⁴Meli nazo pia, ingawa ni kubwa sana, na husukumwa na upepo mkali, huweza kugeuzwa kwa usukani mdogo sana, zikaelekea kokote nahodha anakotaka.

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.

⁵Vivyo hivyo, ulimi, ingawa ni kiungo kidogo cha mwili, hujisifia makuu sana. Moto mdogo waweza kuteketeza msitu mkubwa.

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

⁶Hali kadhalika ulimi ni kama moto. Umejaa maovu chungu nzima, unayo nafasi yake katika miili yetu na hueneza ubaya katika nafsi zetu zote. Huteketeza maisha yetu yote kwa moto utokao Jehanamu kwenyewe.

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. or, Hell

⁷Binadamu anaweza kuwafuga wanyama, na amefaulu kufuga viumbe vyote--wanyama wa mwituni, ndege, nyoka na viumbe vya baharini.

⁷For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and thing in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind.

⁸Lakini hakuna mtu aliyeweza kuufuga ulimi. Ulimi ni kitu kiovu, hakitawaliki, na kimejaa sumu inayoua.

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

⁹Kwa ulimi sisi twamshukuru Bwana na Baba yetu. Kwa ulimi huohuo twawalaani watu, watu ambao wameumbwa kwa mfano wa Mungu.

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

¹⁰Maneno ya laana na ya kusifia hutoka katika kinywa kimoja. Ndugu zangu, mambo haya hayapaswi kuwa hivyo.

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

¹¹Je, chemchemi moja yaweza kutoa maji matamu na maji machungu pamoja?

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

¹²Ndugu zangu, je, mti wa mtini waweza kuzaa zeituni? Au, mzabibu waweza kuzaa tini? Chemchemi ya maji ya chumvi haiwezi kutoa maji matamu.

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

¹³Je, ni nani mwenye hekima na akili miongoni mwenu? Basi, aonyeshe jambo hilo kwa mwenendo wake mzuri na kwa matendo yake mema yanayofanyika kwa unyenyekevu na hekima.

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

¹⁴Lakini ikiwa mioyo yenu imejaa wivu, chuki na ubinafsi, basi, msijisifu na kusema uongo dhidi ya ukweli.

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

¹⁵Hekima ya namna hiyo haitoki juu mbinguni; hekima hiyo ni ya ulimwengu, na ya kidunia, tena ni ya kishetani.

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

¹⁶Maana popote palipo na wivu na ubinafsi hapo pana fujo na kila aina ya uovu.

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

¹⁷Lakini hekima itokayo juu mbinguni, kwanza ni safi; inapenda amani, upole na huwajali watu; imejaa huruma na huzaa matunda ya matendo mema; haina ubaguzi wala unafiki.

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.

¹⁸Uadilifu ni mazao ya mbegu ambazo wapenda amani hupanda katika amani.

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