וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹהִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְעֹ֣וף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּ֖ה הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
神賜福給他們，對他們說：「要生養眾多，遍滿地面，治理這地；要管理海裡的魚、空中的鳥，和地上各樣行動的活物。」
神赐福给他们，对他们说：「要生养众多，遍满地面，治理这地；要管理海里的鱼、空中的鸟，和地上各样行动的活物。」
Shén cì fú gěi tāmen, duì tāmen shuō: “Yào shēng yǎng zhòng duō, biàn mǎn dì miàn, zhì lǐ zhè dì; yào guǎn lǐ hǎi lǐ de yú, kōng zhōng de niǎo, hé dì shàng gè yàng xíng dòng de huó wù.”
And God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, and every living thing that moves 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 |
| 給 / 给 | gěi | To, give | Verb |
| 他們 / 他们 | tāmen | Them | Pronoun |
| 對 / 对 | duì | To, toward | Preposition |
| 說 / 说 | shuō | Say | Verb |
| 要 | yào | Must, shall | Auxiliary verb |
| 生養眾多 / 生养众多 | shēng yǎng zhòng duō | Be fruitful and multiply | Verb phrase |
| 遍滿 / 遍满 | biàn mǎn | Fill, cover | Verb |
| 地面 | dì miàn | Earth, ground | Noun |
| 治理 | zhì lǐ | Govern, subdue | Verb |
| 管理 | guǎn lǐ | Manage, have dominion | Verb |
| 海裡 / 海里 | hǎi lǐ | In the sea | Prepositional phrase |
| 魚 / 鱼 | yú | Fish | Noun |
| 空中 | kōng zhōng | In the air, heavens | Prepositional phrase |
| 鳥 / 鸟 | niǎo | Bird | Noun |
| 地上 | dì shàng | On the earth | Prepositional phrase |
| 活物 | huó wù | Living creatures | Noun |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 神賜福給他們 (shén cì fú gěi tāmen): Describes God blessing humanity.
- 對他們說：「要生養眾多 (duì tāmen shuō: ‘yào shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Indicates God’s command to humanity to be fruitful and multiply.
- 遍滿地面，治理這地 (biàn mǎn dì miàn, zhì lǐ zhè dì): Commands humanity to fill and govern the earth.
- 管理海裡的魚、空中的鳥，和地上各樣行動的活物 (guǎn lǐ hǎi lǐ de yú, kōng zhōng de niǎo, hé dì shàng gè yàng xíng dòng de huó wù): Assigns humanity dominion over creation.
Key Grammar Points:
- 賜福 / 赐福 (cì fú): Means “to bless,” signifying divine favor.
- 遍滿 / 遍满 (biàn mǎn): Refers to covering or filling completely.
- 治理 (zhì lǐ): Means “to govern,” emphasizing stewardship and control.
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Shén cì fú gěi tāmen, duì tāmen shuō: “Yào shēng yǎng zhòng duō, biàn mǎn dì miàn, zhì lǐ zhè dì; yào guǎn lǐ hǎi lǐ de yú, kōng zhōng de niǎo, hé dì shàng gè yàng xíng dòng de huó wù.”
Tone Practice:
- 賜福 / 赐福 (cì fú): 4th tone (falling) + 2nd tone (rising)
- 給 / 给 (gěi): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 遍滿 / 遍满 (biàn mǎn): 4th tone (falling) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 治理 (zhì lǐ): 4th tone (falling) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 管理 (guǎn lǐ): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 賜福 / 赐福 (cì fú): Represents divine blessing, central to God’s relationship with humanity.
- 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Describes the act of being fruitful and multiplying, symbolizing growth and life.
- 治理 (zhì lǐ): Indicates governance, emphasizing humanity’s stewardship over creation.
- 管理 (guǎn lǐ): Refers to dominion and responsible oversight of nature.
- 活物 (huó wù): Refers to living creatures, symbolizing the diversity of life under humanity’s care.
5. Cultural Insights
- Human Responsibility: The command to 治理 (zhì lǐ) and 管理 (guǎn lǐ) reflects both Hebrew and Chinese values of stewardship and responsible governance.
- Fruitfulness and Growth: The phrase 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): parallels Chinese cultural emphasis on family, prosperity, and harmonious growth.
- Balance with Nature: The command to manage fish, birds, and land animals reflects Chinese cosmology’s principle of harmony between humanity and nature.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 賜福 / 赐福 (cì fú): Imagine God extending His hands in blessing over humanity.
- 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Visualize a tree filled with fruits, symbolizing growth and multiplication.
- 治理 (zhì lǐ): Picture a ruler carefully managing a kingdom, reflecting humanity’s stewardship role.
- 管理 (guǎn lǐ): Envision a shepherd tending to sheep, symbolizing care and oversight of creation.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם (VaYevarekh Otam): → 神賜福給他們 / 神赐福给他们 (shén cì fú gěi tāmen): Both describe God blessing humanity.
- פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ (Peru U’Revu): → 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Both command fruitfulness and multiplication.
- וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ (UMil’u Et HaAretz): → 遍滿地面 / 遍满地面 (biàn mǎn dì miàn): Both emphasize filling the earth.
- וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ (VeChivshuha): → 治理這地 / 治理这地 (zhì lǐ zhè dì): Both express subduing or governing the earth.
- וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם (URedu BiDgat HaYam): → 管理海裡的魚 / 管理海里的鱼 (guǎn lǐ hǎi lǐ de yú): Both describe dominion over fish in the sea.
- Comparison with English:
- “And God blessed them” aligns with 神賜福給他們 / 神赐福给他们 (shén cì fú gěi tāmen): Both highlight the divine blessing on humanity.
- “Be fruitful and multiply” corresponds to 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): Both emphasize growth and reproduction.
- “Subdue the earth” matches 治理這地 / 治理这地 (zhì lǐ zhè dì): Both assign responsibility to humanity for managing the earth.
- “And have dominion” aligns with 管理 (guǎn lǐ): Both express control and stewardship over creation.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- Harmony and Balance: The command to manage nature reflects the Chinese ideal of maintaining harmony between humanity and the environment.
- Growth and Prosperity: The instruction to 生養眾多 / 生养众多 (shēng yǎng zhòng duō): aligns with Chinese cultural values of family prosperity and expansion.
- Stewardship: The emphasis on 治理 (zhì lǐ) and 管理 (guǎn lǐ): parallels Confucian principles of responsible governance and care for all under one’s authority.
