en_tn/jas/03/11.md

Connecting Statement:

After James stresses that the words of believers should not both bless and curse, he gives examples from nature to teach his readers that people who honor God by worshiping him should also live in right ways.

Does a spring pour out from its opening both sweet and bitter water?

James uses a rhetorical question to remind believers about what happens in nature. This can be expressed as a sentence. AT: "You know that a spring does not pour out both sweet water and bitter water." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)

Does a fig tree, my brothers, make olives?

James uses another rhetorical question to remind the believers about what happens in nature. AT: "Brothers, you know that a fig tree cannot grow olives." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion)

brothers

"fellow believers"

Or a grapevine, figs?

The word "make" is understood from the previous phrase. James uses another rhetorical question to remind the believers about what happens in nature. AT: "Or does a grapevine make figs?" or "And a grapevine cannot grow figs." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-ellipsis)