1 Do not all be teachers, my brothers, because we teachers will be judged more hardly than others.2 For we all go wrong in a number of things. If a man never makes a slip in his talk, then he is a complete man and able to keep all his body in control.3 Now if we put bits of iron into horses' mouths so that they may be guided by us, we have complete control of their bodies.4 And again ships, though they are so great and are moved by violent winds, are turned by a very small guiding-blade, at the impulse of the man who is using it.5 Even so the tongue is a small part of the body, but it takes credit for great things. How much wood may be lighted by a very little fire!6 And the tongue is a fire; it is the power of evil placed in our bodies, making all the body unclean, putting the wheel of life on fire, and getting its fire from hell.7 For every sort of beast and bird and every living thing on earth and in the sea has been controlled by man and is under his authority;8 But the tongue may not be controlled by man; it is an unresting evil, it is full of the poison of death.9 With it we give praise to our Lord and Father; and with it we put a curse on men who are made in God's image.10 Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not right for these things to be so.11 Does the fountain send from the same outlet sweet and bitter water?12 Is a fig-tree able to give us olives, my brothers, or do we get figs from a vine, or sweet water from the salt sea?13 Who has wisdom and good sense among you? let him make his works clear by a life of gentle wisdom.14 But if you have bitter envy in your heart and the desire to get the better of others, have no pride in this, talking falsely against what is true.15 This wisdom is not from heaven, but is of the earth and the flesh and the Evil One.16 For where envy is, and the desire to get the better of others, there is no order, but every sort of evil-doing.17 But the wisdom which is from heaven is first holy, then gentle, readily giving way in argument, full of peace and mercy and good works, not doubting, not seeming other than it is.18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace for those who make peace.

1 Nolite plures magistri fieri fratres mei, scientes quoniam majus judicium sumitis. 2 In multis enim offendimus omnes. Si quis in verbo non offendit, hic perfectus est vir : potest etiam freno circumducere totum corpus. 3 Si autem equis frena in ora mittimus ad consentiendum nobis, et omne corpus illorum circumferimus. 4 Ecce et naves, cum magn sint, et a ventis validis minentur, circumferuntur a modico gubernaculo ubi impetus dirigentis voluerit. 5 Ita et lingua modicum quidem membrum est, et magna exaltat. Ecce quantus ignis quam magnam silvam incendit ! 6 Et lingua ignis est, universitas iniquitatis. Lingua constituitur in membris nostris, qu maculat totum corpus, et inflammat rotam nativitatis nostr inflammata a gehenna. 7 Omnis enim natura bestiarum, et volucrum, et serpentium, et ceterorum domantur, et domita sunt a natura humana : 8 linguam autem nullus hominum domare potest : inquietum malum, plena veneno mortifero. 9 In ipsa benedicimus Deum et Patrem : et in ipsa maledicimus homines, qui ad similitudinem Dei facti sunt. 10 Ex ipso ore procedit benedictio et maledictio. Non oportet, fratres mei, hc ita fieri. 11 Numquid fons de eodem foramine emanat dulcem et amaram aquam ? 12 Numquid potest, fratres mei, ficus uvas facere, aut vitis ficus ? Sic neque salsa dulcem potest facere aquam.13 Quis sapiens et disciplinatus inter vos ? Ostendat ex bona conversatione operationem suam in mansuetudine sapienti. 14 Quod si zelum amarum habetis, et contentiones sint in cordibus vestris : nolite gloriari, et mendaces esse adversus veritatem : 15 non est enim ista sapientia desursum descendens : sed terrena, animalis, diabolica. 16 Ubi enim zelus et contentio, ibi inconstantia et omne opus pravum. 17 Qu autem desursum est sapientia, primum quidem pudica est, deinde pacifica, modesta, suadibilis, bonus consentiens, plena misericordia et fructibus bonis, non judicans, sine simulatione. 18 Fructus autem justiti, in pace seminatur, facientibus pacem.