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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. Alternate translation: "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 the parts of our body
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)
The tongue stains the whole body
The writer speaks metaphorically of the way a person becomes unacceptable to God when he speaks sinful words as if the person's words made stains on his 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. Alternate translation: "it ruins a person's entire life" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)
life, and 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. Alternate translation: "life because the devil uses it for evil" (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive and rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor)