Jakobus 3
1 Seid nicht viele Lehrer, meine Brüder, da ihr wisset, daß wir ein schwereres Urteil empfangen werden; denn wir alle straucheln oft.
My fellow believers, not many of you should [desire to] become teachers [of God’s truth, because] you know [that God] will judge us [(exc)], who teach others, more severely [than he will judge other people].
2 Wenn jemand nicht im Worte strauchelt, der ist ein vollkommener Mann, fähig, auch den ganzen Leib zu zügeln.
It is true that we all in many ways do things that are wrong [MET]. But those who always [LIT] control what they say will be all that God intends/wants them to be. They will be able to control all their actions [MTY].
3 Siehe, den Pferden legen wir die Gebisse in die Mäuler, damit sie uns gehorchen, und lenken ihren ganzen Leib.
[To illustrate], if we put [a small metal] bit into the mouth of a horse in order to cause the horse to obey us, we can cause the horse to turn [and go where we want it to] [MET].
4 Siehe, auch die Schiffe, die so groß sind, und von heftigen Winden getrieben werden, werden durch ein sehr kleines Steuerruder gelenkt, wohin irgend der Trieb des Steuermanns will.
Think also about ships. [Although] a ship may be very large and [although] it can be moved by strong winds {strong winds can move it}, by [turning] a very small (rudder/steering paddle) people can direct the ship wherever they want [it to go].
5 So ist auch die Zunge ein kleines Glied und rühmt sich großer Dinge. Siehe, ein kleines Feuer, welch einen großen Wald zündet es an!
Similarly, [although] our tongues are very small, [if we do not control them], we can [harm] many people by what we proudly say [MTY]. Think [also] about how [just] a small [flame of] fire can cause a large forest (OR, a large area of brushwood) to burn.
6 Und die Zunge ist ein Feuer, die Welt der Ungerechtigkeit. Die Zunge ist unter unseren Gliedern gesetzt, als die den ganzen Leib befleckt und den Lauf der Natur anzündet und von der Hölle angezündet wird. (Geenna g1067)
[Just like a fire damages a forest] [MET], when we say things that are evil, [we harm many people]. What we say [MTY] reveals that we are very evil. What we say contaminates/defiles everything that we think and do [PRS, MET]. [Just like a flame of fire easily] causes [the whole surrounding area] [MET] to burn, what we say [MTY] can cause [others] to want to do evil. It is the devil himself [MTY] who causes us to say evil things. (Geenna g1067)
7 Denn jede Natur, sowohl der Tiere als der Vögel, sowohl der kriechenden als der Meertiere, wird gebändigt und ist gebändigt worden durch die menschliche Natur;
Indeed, although people are able to tame/control all kinds of wild animals, birds, reptiles and creatures that live in the water, and people have actually tamed/controlled them,
8 die Zunge aber kann keiner der Menschen bändigen: sie ist ein unstetes Übel, voll tödlichen Giftes.
no person ([on his own/by himself]) is able to control what he says [MTY]. And when people say evil things, [it shows that] they are unstable/uncontrolled and wicked [MTY]. [As] the poison [of a snake kills people] [MTY], [we harm others] [MET] by what we say.
9 Mit ihr preisen wir den Herrn und Vater, und mit ihr fluchen wir den Menschen, die nach dem Bilde Gottes geworden sind.
We use our tongue to praise God, who is our Lord and Father, but we also use our same tongue to ask God to say evil things to people. [That is very wrong]! God made people like himself, [so we should speak as respectfully to others as we speak to God].
10 Aus demselben Munde geht Segen und Fluch hervor. Dies, meine Brüder, sollte nicht also sein.
We praise [God], but with our same mouth we also ask for evil [things to happen to others]. My fellow believers, this should not be!
11 Die Quelle sprudelt doch nicht aus derselben Öffnung das Süße und das Bittere?
Surely bitter water and good water do not come out of the same spring! [RHQ]
12 Kann etwa, meine Brüder, ein Feigenbaum Oliven hervorbringen, oder ein Weinstock Feigen? Auch kann Salziges nicht süßes Wasser hervorbringen.
My fellow believers, a fig tree cannot [RHQ] produce olives. Nor can [RHQ] a grapevine produce figs. Neither can a salty spring produce good [water]. [Similarly, we should say only good things, and we should not say evil things] [MET].
13 Wer ist weise und verständig unter euch? Er zeige aus dem guten Wandel seine Werke in Sanftmut der Weisheit.
If any of you thinks [RHQ] that [you are] wise and know a lot, you should always act in a good way to show people that your good actions are the result of your [being truly] wise. Being wise [helps us to act] gently [toward others].
14 Wenn ihr aber bitteren Neid und Streitsucht in eurem Herzen habt, so rühmet euch nicht und lüget nicht wider die Wahrheit.
But if you are very [MET] jealous/unhappy when you see that someone else is succeeding, and always want to have what you want, regardless of what others want, you should not say [that you are wise, for by boasting like that], you are saying that ([God’s message/what God says about you]) is not true.
15 Dies ist nicht die Weisheit, die von oben herabkommt, sondern eine irdische, sinnliche, teuflische.
Those who have such [attitudes are] not wise [MTY] in the way that God [wants them to be]. Instead, they are only thinking and acting like ([ungodly people/people who do not please God]). They think and act according to their own [evil] desires. They do what the demons [want them to do] (OR, they think and act as demons [do]).
16 Denn wo Neid und Streitsucht ist, da ist Zerrüttung und jede schlechte Tat.
[Keep in mind that] people who have such attitudes (are unruly/do not submit to authority) and [do] all kinds of evil things.
17 Die Weisheit aber von oben ist aufs erste rein, sodann friedsam, gelinde, folgsam, voll Barmherzigkeit und guter Früchte, unparteiisch, ungeheuchelt.
But [when people] are wise [PRS] in the way that God [MTY] [wants them to be], they are pure in every way, which God considers to be very important. They also act peaceably towards [others], they (are considerate of/think about the rights and feelings of) others, they are willing to yield to [the wishes of] others, they act compassionately [toward others], and they do all kinds of good things [for others] [MET]. [How they treat others does] not depend on (others’ status/whether others are important or not), and they are sincere [in all they do].
18 Die Frucht der Gerechtigkeit in Frieden aber wird denen gesät, die Frieden stiften.
Those who [act] peaceably [toward others] cause [others to also] act peaceably, with the result that they all live together [acting toward each other] in a righteous way [MET].
