The Futility of Life.

For the music director, for ^[a]Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

² For we all ^(A)stumble in many ways. ^(B)If anyone does not stumble in ^[a]what he says, he is a ^(C)perfect man, able to ^[b](D)rein in the whole body as well. ³ Now ^(E)if we put the bits into the horses’ mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their whole body as well. ⁴ Look at the ships too: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are nevertheless directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot determines. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it ^(F)boasts of great things.

^(G)See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! ⁶ And ^(H)the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among ^[c]our body’s parts as that which ^(I)defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our ^[d]life, and is set on fire by ^[e](J)hell. ⁷ For every ^[f]species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human ^[g]race. ⁸ But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of ^(K)deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless ^(L)our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people, ^(M)who have been made in the likeness of God; ¹⁰ from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, these things should not be this way. ¹¹ Does a spring send out from the same opening both ^[h]fresh and bitter water? ^12 (N)Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, bear olives, or a vine bear figs? Nor can salt water produce ^[i]fresh.