James 3:8

Mace New Testament

but who could ever tame the tongue? arm'd with deadly poison, the mischief scorns restraint.

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Well, nothing except the tongue; it is an evil bronc that can't be rode, full of malice and might.

Bible in Basic English
But the tongue may not be controlled by man; it is an unresting evil, it is full of the poison of death.

Darby Translation
but the tongue can no one among men tame; [it is] an unsettled evil, full of death-bringing poison.

World English Bible
But nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But the tongue can no man tame: it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Weymouth's New Testament
But the tongue no man or woman is able to tame. It is an ever-busy mischief, and is full of deadly poison.

King James Version (1611)
But the tongue can no man tame, it is an vnruly euill, ful of deadly poyson.

Literal Translation
but no one of men is able to tame the tongue; it is an unrestrainable evil, full of death-dealing poison.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But the toge can no man tame. Yt is an vnruely euell full of deedly poysou.

Amplified Bible
But no one can tame the human tongue; it is a restless evil [undisciplined, unstable], full of deadly poison.

American Standard Version
but the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison.

Revised Standard Version
but no human being can tame the tongue--a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But the tonge can no man tame. Yt is an vntuely evyll full of deedly poyson.

Update Bible Version
But the tongue no man can tame; [it is] a restless evil, [it is] full of deadly poison.

Webster's Bible Translation
But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Young's Literal Translation
and the tongue no one of men is able to subdue, [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison,

New Century Version
but no one can tame the tongue. It is wild and evil and full of deadly poison.

New English Translation
But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Berean Standard Bible
but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Contemporary English Version
But our tongues get out of control. They are restless and evil, and always spreading deadly poison.

Complete Jewish Bible
but the tongue no one can tame — it is an unstable and evil thing, full of death-dealing poison!

English Standard Version
but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But the tongue can no man tame. It is an vnruly euill, full of deadly poyson.

George Lamsa Translation
But the tongue no man can tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Christian Standard Bible®
but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Hebrew Names Version
But nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

International Standard Version
but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil filled with deadly poison.Psalm 140:3;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
but the tongue no one can subdue; this is an evil not ordered, (and) full of the poison of death.

Murdock Translation
But the tongue hath no one been able to tame: it is an evil thing, not coercible, and full of deadly poison.

New King James Version
But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

New Living Translation
but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.

New Life Bible
But no man can make his tongue say what he wants it to say. It is sinful and does not rest. It is full of poison that kills.

English Revised Version
but the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison.

New Revised Standard
but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, the tongue, none of mankind can, tame, - A restless mischief! Full of deadly poison

Douay-Rheims Bible
But the tongue no man can tame, an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison.

King James Version
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

Lexham English Bible
but no human being is able to tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But the tongue can no man tame, it is an vnruly euyll, full of deadly poyson.

Easy-to-Read Version
But no one can control the tongue. It is wild and evil, full of deadly poison.

New American Standard Bible
But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Good News Translation
But no one has ever been able to tame the tongue. It is evil and uncontrollable, full of deadly poison.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
for it is an vnpesible yuel, and ful of deedli venym.

Contextual Overview

¹ My brethren, don't affect many of you to be doctors, considering, that those of us who are such, shall be tried with the greater severity. ² for we are all liable to frequent mistakes. he that does not give too great a loose to his tongue, is an accomplish'd person and fit to moderate the whole church. ³ you see how manageable horses are made by the application of a bit, which makes them take what motion we please. ⁴ a ship too of the greatest burthen, tho' the wind bears hard, by means of an inconsiderable helm, veers about as the hand of the pilot directs her. ⁵ so the tongue is but a small part of the body, yet how grand are its pretensions. a spark of fire! what quantities of timber will it blow into a flame? ⁶ the tongue is a brand that sets the world in a combustion: it is but one of the numerous organs of the body, yet it can blast whole assemblies: tipp'd with infernal sulphur it sets the whole train of life in a blaze. ⁷ creatures of every kind, beasts, birds, reptiles, and sea-monsters, are frequently tamed by human industry. ⁸ but who could ever tame the tongue? arm'd with deadly poison, the mischief scorns restraint. ⁹ By that we give praises to God the father: and that pronounces curses even against men, who are form'd after the divine resemblance. ¹⁰ from the same mouth shall blessing and cursing proceed? this ought not to be practis'd, my brethren;

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

an unruly: James 3:6, Psalms 55:21, Psalms 57:4, Psalms 59:7, Psalms 64:3, Psalms 64:4

full: Deuteronomy 32:33, Psalms 58:4, Psalms 140:3, Ecclesiastes 10:11, Romans 3:13, Revelation 12:9

Reciprocal: Mark 5:4 - tame

Cross-References

Romans 2:15
for they shew that the duties prescrib'd by the law, are written in their hearts, their consciences bearing witness to it, by their own reasonings alternately accusing and excusing them.

Hebrews 4:13
so that there is not a creature that is concealed from his view: but all is naked and open to the eyes of him of whom we speak. Having then so great a high priest,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But the tongue can no man tame,.... Either his own, or others; not his own, for the man that has the greatest guard upon himself, his words and actions; yet, what through pride or passion, or one lust or another in his heart, at one time or another, bolts out vain, idle, angry, and sinful words: and he that does not may be set down for a perfect man indeed: nor can he tame or restrain the tongues of others from detraction, calumnies, backbitings, and whisperings; who say, their lips are their own, and who is Lord over us? no man can, by his own power and strength, tame or subdue his tongue, or restrain it from evils it is habituated to, be it lying, cursing, swearing, or what else: God, by his Spirit, power, and grace, can, and often does, change the note of the curser, swearer, liar, and blasphemer; but no man can do this, though he can tame beasts, birds, serpents, and fishes; which shows the tongue to be worse than anything to be found in the whole compass of nature:

[it is an] unruly evil: an evil it is, for it is a world of iniquity; and an unruly one, being more so than the horse and mule, which are without understanding, who are kept in and governed, and turned any way by the bit and bridle: but though in nature the tongue is fenced by a double fence of the lips and teeth, this is not sufficient to restrain it; it breaks all bounds, and is not to be kept in by nature, art, or argument: nothing but the grace of God can in any measure govern it, or lay an embargo on it:

full of deadly poison, which, privately, secretly, and gradually, destroys the characters, credit, and reputation of men; and is of fatal consequence in families, neighbourhoods, churches, and states.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But the tongue can no man tame - This does not mean that it is never brought under control, but that it is impossible effectually and certainly to subdue it. It would be possible to subdue and domesticate any kind of beasts, but this could not be done with the tongue.

It is an unruly evil - An evil without restraint, to which no certain and effectual check can be applied. Of the truth of this no one can have any doubt, who looks at the condition of the world.

Full of deadly poison - That is, it acts on the happiness of man, and on the peace of society, as poison does on the human frame. The allusion here seems to be to the bite of a venomous reptile. Compare Psalms 140:3, “They have sharpened their tongues like serpent; adders” poison is under their lips.” Romans 3:13, “with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips.” Nothing would better describe the mischief that may be done by the tongue. There is no sting of a serpent that does so much evil in the world; there is no poison more deadly to the frame than the poison of the tongue is to the happiness of man. Who, for example, can stand before the power of the slanderer? What mischief can be done in society that can be compared with that which he may do?

- ’Tis slander;

Whose edge is sharper than the sword; whose tongue

Outvenoms all the worms of Nile; whose breath

Rides on the posting winds, and doth belie

All corners of the world: kings, queens, and states,

Maids, matrons, nay, the secrets of the grave

This viperous slander enters.

Shakespeare in Cymbellna.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 8. But the tongue wan no man tame — No cunning, persuasion, or influence has ever been able to silence it. Nothing but the grace of God, excision, or death, can bring it under subjection.

It is an unruly evil — ακατασχετον κακον. An evil that cannot be restrained; it cannot be brought under any kind of government; it breaks all bounds.

Full of deadly poison. — He refers here to the tongues of serpents, supposed to be the means of conveying their poison into wounds made by their teeth. Throughout the whole of this poetic and highly declamatory description, St. James must have the tongue of the slanderer, calumniator, backbiter, whisperer, and tale-bearer, particularly in view. Vipers, basilisks; and rattlesnakes are not more dangerous to life, than these are to the peace and reputation of men.