1.2 KiB
For every kind of ... mankind
The phrase "every kind" is a general statement referring to all or many kinds of wild animals. This can be stated in active form. AT: "People have learned to control many kinds of wild animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive)
reptile
This is an animal that crawls on the ground. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown)
sea creature
an animal that lives in the sea
But no human being can tame the tongue
James speaks of the tongue as if it were a wild animal. Here "tongue" represents a person's desire to speak evil thoughts. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy)
It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison
James speaks of the harm that people can cause by what they say as if the tongue were an evil and poisonous creature that can kill people. AT: "It is like a restless and evil creature, full of deadly poison" or "It is like a restless and evil creature that can kill people with its venom" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)