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Likewise
This word signals the analogy of the tongue to the horses' bits and the ships' rudders mentioned in the previous verses. AT: "In the same way"
boasts great things
Here "things" is a general word for everything about which these people are proud.
Notice also
"Think about"
how small a fire sets on fire a large forest
In order to help people understand the harm that the tongue can cause, James speaks of the harm that a small flame can cause. AT: "how a small flame can start a fire that burns many trees"
The tongue is also a fire
The tongue is a metonym for what people say. James calls it a fire because of the great damage it can do. AT: "The tongue is like a fire" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
a world of sinfulness set among our body parts
The enormous effects of sinful speaking are spoken of as if they were a world by themselves. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
It stains the whole body
Sinful speaking is spoken of metaphorically as if it stained one's body. And becoming unacceptable to God is spoken of as if it were dirt on the body. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
sets on fire the course of life
The phrase "course of life" refers to a person's entire life. AT: "it ruins a person's entire life" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
life. It is itself set on fire by hell
The word "itself" refers to the tongue. Also, here "hell" refers to the powers of evil or to the devil. This can be stated in active form. AT: "life because the devil uses it for evil" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)