9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,
but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
18 cThere is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings dhealing.
4 hA gentle1 tongue is ia tree of life,
but jperverseness in it breaks the spirit.
21 tDeath and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
37 for vby your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Taming the Tongue
1 cNot many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For dwe all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, ehe is a perfect man, fable also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put gbits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet hit boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And ithe tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, jstaining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,1 and set on fire by hell.2 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, kfull of deadly poison.
