James · Chapter 3

[ edit] Mi briþeren, nyle ȝe be maad many mayſtris, witynge for ȝe taken þe more doom. Soþeli alle we offenden in many þingis. If ony man offendiþ not in word, þis is a parfijt man; forſoþe he mai wiþ a bridel lede aboute al þe body. Forſoþe if we putten to horſis bridles in to mouþis, for to conſente to vs, and we beren þer wiþ aboute al þe body of hem. And lo! ſhippes, whan þei ben greete, and ben dryuen of ſtronge wijndis, ſoþeli þei ben born aboute of a litel gouernayle, where þe bire of a man dreſſinge ſhal wole. So and þe tunge ſoþeli is a litel membre, and reyſiþ greete þinges. Lo! hou miche fijr kyndliþ hou greete a wode. And oure tunge is fijr, þe vniuerſite of wickidneſſe.

Þe tunge is ordeyned in oure membris, þe which defouliþ al þe body; and it enflaumed, or ſet afijre, of helle, enflaumeþ þe wheel of oure birþe. Soþeli al þe kynde of beeſtis, and foulis, and ſerpentis, and of oþere, ben ouercome, or vndirȝokid, and ben maad taame, of mannus kynde; forſoþe noon of men mai daunte, or chaſtiſe, þe tunge, ſoþeli it is an vnquyet, or vnpeſible, yuel þing, and ful of deedly venym. In it we bleſſen God, þe fadir, and in it we curſen men, þat ben maad to þe licneſſe of God. Of þe ſame mouþ comeþ forþ bleſſyng and curſyng. My briþeren, it bihoueþ not þes þinges for to be maad ſo. Wher a welle of þe ſaame hole bringe forþ ſwete and ſalt watir?

My briþeren, wher a fijge tree mai make grapes, or a vijne fyges? So neþer ſalt watir mai make ſwete watir. Who is wijſe, and diſciplined, or chaſtiſyd, among ȝou? ſhewe he of good lyuyng his werk, in myldeneſſe of wiſdom. Þat if ȝe han bitter zeel, or enuy, and ſtriuyngis ben in ȝoure hertis, nyle ȝe glorye, and be liȝers aȝens þe treuþe. Forſoþe þis wiſdom is not fro aboue comynge doun, but erþeli, beeſtly, and fendli. For wher is enuye and ſtrijf, þere vnſtedefaſtneſſe and al ſhrewid werk.

Forſoþe wiſdom þat is fro aboue, firſt ſoþeli it is chaaſt, aftirward peſible, mylde, ſuadible, þat is, eſy for to treete, and to be treetid, conſentynge to goode þingis, ful of merſy and goode fruytis, demynge wiþ oute feynynge. Soþeli þe fruytes of riȝtwiſneſſe ben ſowun in pees, to men makinge pees.