richmahn_en_tn/jas/03/05.md

## Likewise ##

"In the same way." This compares the tongue to the horses' bits and the ships' rudders in the previous verses.

## boasts great things ##

"a person can use it to speak very evil things"

## Notice how great ##

"Think about how great"

## how great a forest is kindled by a spark! ##

This can be translated as an active clause: "a small flame can start a fire that burns many trees!" (See:[[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])

## tongue is also a fire ##

Just as a fire consumes and destroys all it burns, the tongue, referring to what a person says (metonymy) can deeply hurt people (metaphor). Alternate translation: "the tongue is like a fire." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

## a world of sinfulness set among our body parts ##

Alternate translation: "It is a small part of our body but it is capable of sinning in all kinds of ways."

## which defiles the whole body ##

This can be translated as a new sentence. "It can make us completely unpleasing to God" or "It can make us unacceptable to God."

## and sets on fire the road of life ##

The phrase "road of life" is a metaphor that refers to a person's entire life. This could be translated as "and it can ruin a person's entire life."

## and itself is set on fire by hell ##

The word "itself" refers to the tongue. Also, here "hell" is a metonym that refers to the powers of evil or to the Devil. This could be translated as an active clause: "because the Devil uses it for evil."