3 We put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us. With these bits we can control their whole body.
4 It is the same with ships. A ship is very big, and it is pushed by strong winds. But a very small rudder controls that big ship. And the one who controls the rudder decides where the ship will go. It goes where he wants it to go.
5 It is the same with our tongue. It is a small part of the body, but it can boast about doing great things. A big forest fire can be started with only a little flame.
6 The tongue is like a fire. It is a world of evil among the parts of our body. It spreads its evil through our whole body and starts a fire that influences all of life. It gets this fire from hell.
7 Humans have control over every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and fish, and they have controlled all these things.
8 But no one can control the tongue. It is wild and evil, full of deadly poison.
9 We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people who were created in God’s likeness.