OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 3:6

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ

and the tongue_‹is› /a/_fire

James is using the tongue to represent what people say, by association with the way the tongue is used for speech. Alternate translation: “What we say is also a fire”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ

and the tongue_‹is› /a/_fire

James is using fire as an analogy for the destructive effects of what people say. Alternate translation: “What we say can also be very destructive”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας

the world ¬the ˱of˲_unrighteousness

This is an idiom. The sense is that all the unrighteousness in the world could be expressed in what someone said. Alternate translation: “a vast source of unrighteousness”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τῆς ἀδικίας

¬the ˱of˲_unrighteousness

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea behind the abstract noun unrighteousness with an equivalent expression. In this context, the term refers to wrong things that people say. Alternate translation: “of sinful sayings”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

καθίσταται ἐν

/is_being/_set_down among

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active verbal form. Alternate translation: “is in the middle of”

τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν

the members ˱of˲_us

Alternate translation: “the other parts of our body”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

σπιλοῦσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα

staining all the body

James speaks of the effects of speech as if a person’s tongue were staining his body. Alternate translation: “making the whole body impure”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

σπιλοῦσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα

staining all the body

James is using the body to represent the entire person, since he is saying in this verse that bad speech has morally corrupting effects. Alternate translation: “making the whole person morally corrupt”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

φλογίζουσα τὸν τροχὸν τῆς γενέσεως

setting_on_fire the course ¬the ˱of˲_existence

The course of existence is an idiom that could refer to: (1) a person’s entire life, from birth to death. Alternate translation: “setting a person’s entire life on fire” (2) succeeding generations. Alternate translation: “setting on fire one generation of people after another”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

φλογίζουσα τὸν τροχὸν τῆς γενέσεως

setting_on_fire the course ¬the ˱of˲_existence

James is speaking of the destructive effects of bad speech as if they were setting a person’s life on fire. Alternate translation: “causing destruction throughout a person’s entire life”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς Γεέννης

/being/_set_on_fire by ¬the Gehenna

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active verbal form. Alternate translation: “Gehenna sets it on fire”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς Γεέννης

/being/_set_on_fire by ¬the Gehenna

James continues to speak of the destructive effects of bad speech as if they were fire. Alternate translation: “its destructive effects come from Gehenna”

Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τῆς Γεέννης

¬the ¬the ¬the Gehenna

James is using Gehenna, where refuse was thrown and fires burned continually, to mean hell. Alternate translation: “hell”

Note 13 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τῆς Γεέννης

¬the ¬the ¬the Gehenna

Since hell, as a location, would not be able to influence people’s speech and conduct, James is likely using the name Gehenna to mean the devil by association. Alternate translation: “the devil”