James 3:8

but the tongue can no man tame There is a special force in the Greek tense for "tame", which expresses not habitual, but momentary action. St James had learnt, by what he saw around him, and yet more, it may be, by personal experience, that no powers of the "nature of man" were adequate for this purpose. He had learnt also, we must believe, that the things which are impossible with man are possible with God.

an unruly evil Literally, uncontrollable. Many of the better MSS., however, give the adjective which is rendered "unstable" in ch. James 1:8, and which carries with it, together with that meaning, the idea of restlessness and turbulence. So in the Shepherdof Hermas (11.2) calumny is described as a "restless demon."

full of deadly poison Literally, death-bringing. For the idea comp. "the poison of asps is under their lips," Psalms 140:3. The adjective is found in the LXX. version of Job 33:23, for "angels or messengers of death."