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

¹Mine Brødre! ikke mange af eder bør blive Lærere, såsom I vide, at vi skulle få en desto tungere Dom.

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.

²Thi vi støde alle an i mange Ting; dersom nogen ikke støder an i Tale, da er han en fuldkommen Mand, i Stand til også at holde hele Legemet i Tomme.

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

³Men når vi lægge Bidsler i Hestenes Munde, for at de skulle adlyde os, så dreje vi også hele deres Legeme.

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.

⁴Se, også Skibene, endskønt de ere så store og drives af stærke Vinde, drejes med et såre lidet Ror, hvorhen Styrmandens Hu står.

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

⁵Således er også Tungen et lille Lem og fører store Ord. Se, hvor lille en Ild der stikker så stor en Skov i Brand!

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

⁶Og Tungen er en Ild. Som en Verden af Uretfærdighed sidder Tungen iblandt vore Lemmer; den besmitter hele Legemet og sætter Livets Hjul i Brand, selv sat i Brand af Helvede.

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

⁷Thi enhver Natur, både Dyrs og Fugles, både Krybdyrs og Havdyrs, tæmmes og er tæmmet af den menneskelige Natur;

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

⁸men Tungen kan intet Menneske tæmme, det ustyrlige Onde, fuld af dødbringende Gift.

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

⁹Med den velsigne vi Herren og Faderen, og med den forbande vi Menneskene, som ere blevne til efter Guds Lighed.

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

¹⁰Af den samme Mund udgår Velsignelse og Forbandelse. Mine Brødre! dette bør ikke være så.

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

¹¹Mon en Kilde udgyder sødt Vand og besk Vand af det samme Væld?

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

¹²Mon et Figentræ, mine Brødre! kan give Oliven, eller et Vintræ Figener? Heller ikke kan en Salt Kilde give fersk Vand.

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

¹³Er nogen viis og forstandig iblandt eder, da vise han ved god Omgængelse sine Gerninger i viis Sagtmodighed!

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

¹⁴Men have I bitter Avind og Rænkesyge i eders Hjerter, da roser eder ikke og lyver ikke imod Sandheden!

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

¹⁵Dette er ikke den Visdom, som kommer ovenfra, men en jordisk, sjælelig, djævelsk;

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

¹⁶thi hvor der er Avind og Rænkesyge, der er Forvirring og al ond Handel.

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.

¹⁷Men Visdommen herovenfra er først ren, dernæst fredsommelig, mild, føjelig, fuld at Barmhjertighed og gode Frugter, upartisk, uden Skrømt.

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

¹⁸Men Retfærdigheds Frugt såes i Fred for dem, som stifte Fred.