¹ Be ye not many teachers, my brethren, knowing that we shall receive the greater judgment. ² For in many things we all stumble. If any stumble not in word, this a perfect man, able to govern by a bridle also the whole body.

³ Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they should yield to us; and we lead their whole body. ⁴ Behold also ships, being so great, and driven by hard winds, are led by the smallest rudder, wherever the desire of him steering should will. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, and vaunts itself. Behold, how great a wood a little fire inflames ⁶ (And the tongue a fire, a world of iniquity: so the tongue is placed in our members, defiling the whole body, and burning the wheel of creation; and burned by hell.

⁷ For every nature of beasts, and also of birds, of creeping things, and also of things in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by the nature of man: ⁸ And the tongue none of men can tame; an ungovernable evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we praise the God and Father; and with it we curse men, those made according to the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same month comes forth blessing and cursing. There is no need, my brethren, for these things so to be. ¹¹ Much less from the same aperture does a fountain bubble out sweet and bitter? ¹² The fig tree, my brethren, cannot make olives, or the vine, figs: so no fountain can make salt and sweet water.