OET interlinear YAC (JAM) 3:8

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

οὐδεὶς & ἀνθρώπων

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τήν δέ γλῶσσαν οὐδείς δαμάσαι δύναται ἀνθρώπων ἀκατάστατον κακόν μεστή ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου)

James is using the term men in a generic sense that includes all people. Alternate translation: [no human being]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

δαμάσαι

˓to˒_tame

By analogy with the animals he discussed in the previous verse, James is using the word tame to mean “control.” Alternate translation: [to control]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τὴν & γλῶσσαν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τήν δέ γλῶσσαν οὐδείς δαμάσαι δύναται ἀνθρώπων ἀκατάστατον κακόν μεστή ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου)

James is using the tongue to represent what people say, by association with the way the tongue is used for speech. Alternate translation: [what he says]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

ἀκατάστατον κακόν

˓an˒_unstable evil

James is using the adjective evil as a noun. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this word with an equivalent phrase. Alternate translation: [an unsettled evil thing]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

ἀκατάστατον κακόν

˓an˒_unstable evil

In this context, the word unsettled means “restless.” James is speaking of the tongue as if it were a living thing that could never rest because it always had to be saying bad things. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: [We are constantly saying evil things]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

μεστὴ ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: τήν δέ γλῶσσαν οὐδείς δαμάσαι δύναται ἀνθρώπων ἀκατάστατον κακόν μεστή ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου)

James is using deadly poison as an analogy for the destructive effects of what people say. Alternate translation: [and having very destructive effects]