⁶ And the tongue is a fire! The world of unrighteousness,^[a] the tongue, is set among our members, defiling the whole body and setting on fire the course of human existence^[b], being set on fire by hell.

⁷ For every species of animals and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is being tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸ but no human being is able to tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.