וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֗וּ וּמִלְא֤וּ אֶת־הַמַּ֨יִם֙ בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וְהָעֹ֖וף יִ֥רֶב בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
神賜福給它們，說：「要生養眾多，充滿海中的水，飛鳥也要在地上繁殖。」
神赐福给它们，说：「要生养众多，充满海中的水，飞鸟也要在地上繁殖。」
Shén cì fú gěi tāmen, shuō: “Yào shēng yǎng zhòng duō, chōng mǎn hǎi zhōng de shuǐ, fēi niǎo yě yào zài dì shàng fán zhí.”
And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 神 | shén | God | Subject noun |
| 賜福 / 赐福 | cì fú | Bless | Verb |
| 它們 / 它们 | tāmen | Them (non-human objects) | Pronoun |
| 說 / 说 | shuō | Say | Verb |
| 要 | yào | Shall, must | Verb |
| 生養眾多 / 生养众多 | shēng yǎng zhòng duō | Be fruitful and multiply | Verb phrase |
| 充滿 / 充满 | chōng mǎn | Fill | Verb |
| 海中 | hǎi zhōng | In the sea | Prepositional phrase |
| 水 | shuǐ | Water | Noun |
| 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 | fēi niǎo | Flying birds | Noun |
| 地上 | dì shàng | On the earth | Prepositional phrase |
| 繁殖 | fán zhí | Multiply, reproduce | Verb |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 神賜福給它們，說 (shén cì fú gěi tāmen, shuō): Describes God blessing the creatures and giving them instructions.
- 要生養眾多，充滿海中的水 (yào shēng yǎng zhòng duō, chōng mǎn hǎi zhōng de shuǐ): Commands the sea creatures to multiply and fill the seas.
- 飛鳥也要在地上繁殖 (fēi niǎo yě yào zài dì shàng fán zhí): Adds that birds are to multiply on the earth.
Key Grammar Points:
- 賜福 / 赐福 (cì fú): Means “to bless,” often used in divine or formal contexts.
- 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Refers to being fruitful and multiplying, emphasizing growth and abundance.
- 充滿 / 充满 (chōng mǎn): Indicates “to fill,” describing the waters teeming with life.
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Shén cì fú gěi tāmen, shuō: “Yào shēng yǎng zhòng duō, chōng mǎn hǎi zhōng de shuǐ, fēi niǎo yě yào zài dì shàng fán zhí.”
Tone Practice:
- 賜福 / 赐福 (cì fú): 4th tone (falling) + 2nd tone (rising)
- 生養 / 生养 (shēng yǎng): 1st tone (high) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 眾多 / 众多 (zhòng duō): 4th tone (falling) + 1st tone (high)
- 充滿 / 充满 (chōng mǎn): 1st tone (high) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 繁殖 (fán zhí): 2nd tone (rising) + 2nd tone (rising)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 賜福 / 赐福 (cì fú): Represents divine blessing, central to God’s interaction with creation.
- 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Emphasizes the abundance of life, a recurring theme in creation narratives.
- 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 (fēi niǎo): Refers to birds, highlighting the diversity of life.
- 繁殖 (fán zhí): Means “to reproduce” or “multiply,” a key concept in the command to fill the earth and seas.
- 充滿 / 充满 (chōng mǎn): Indicates “to fill,” vividly portraying the waters brimming with life.
- 地上 (dì shàng): Refers to “on the earth,” specifying the location where birds multiply.
- 水 (shuǐ): Represents water, a recurring symbol of life and vitality.
5. Cultural Insights
- Divine Blessing: The act of 賜福 / 赐福 (cì fú): aligns with both Hebrew and Chinese traditions, where blessings from a higher power are essential for prosperity and growth.
- Emphasis on Growth: The command to 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): reflects a shared cultural appreciation for fertility and the continuity of life.
- Water as Life-Giver: The imagery of 充滿海中的水 / 充满海中的水 (chōng mǎn hǎi zhōng de shuǐ): resonates with the Chinese view of water as the foundation of existence and abundance.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 賜福 / 赐福 (cì fú): Visualize God extending His hands to bless the creatures with life and prosperity.
- 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Imagine creatures multiplying and filling their environments with life.
- 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 (fēi niǎo): Picture birds flying and nesting on the earth, adding vitality to the sky and land.
- 充滿 / 充满 (chōng mǎn): Envision seas teeming with fish, vividly representing the command to fill the waters.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים (Vayevarekh Otam Elohim): → 神賜福給它們 / 神赐福给它们 (shén cì fú gěi tāmen): Both describe God blessing the creatures.
- פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֗וּ (Peru Urvu): → 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Both are commands to be fruitful and multiply.
- וּמִלְא֤וּ אֶת־הַמַּ֨יִם֙ בַּיַּמִּ֔ים (Umil’u Et HaMayim Bayamim): → 充滿海中的水 / 充满海中的水 (chōng mǎn hǎi zhōng de shuǐ): Both emphasize filling the waters with life.
- וְהָעֹ֖וף יִ֥רֶב בָּאָֽרֶץ (Veha’Of Yirev Ba’aretz): → 飛鳥也要在地上繁殖 / 飞鸟也要在地上繁殖 (fēi niǎo yě yào zài dì shàng fán zhí): Both describe birds multiplying on the earth.
- Comparison with English:
- The phrase “And God blessed them, saying” corresponds to 神賜福給它們，說 / 神赐福给它们，说 (shén cì fú gěi tāmen, shuō): Both narrate the act of blessing and giving a command.
- “Be fruitful and multiply” aligns with 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Both express the command for growth and reproduction.
- “Fill the waters in the seas” matches 充滿海中的水 / 充满海中的水 (chōng mǎn hǎi zhōng de shuǐ): Both highlight the filling of the waters with life.
- “And let birds multiply on the earth” corresponds to 飛鳥也要在地上繁殖 / 飞鸟也要在地上繁殖 (fēi niǎo yě yào zài dì shàng fán zhí): Both focus on the multiplication of birds on land.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- Fertility and Blessing: The command to multiply and fill aligns with the Chinese emphasis on fertility as a blessing and a sign of prosperity.
- Water as Life Source: The idea of filling the seas reflects the Chinese belief in water as a giver of life and sustainer of growth.
- Harmony in Nature: The balance between sea life and bird life mirrors Chinese cosmological values of maintaining harmony in creation.
