וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹא־טֹ֛וב הֱיֹ֥ות הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדֹּ֑ו אֶֽעֱשֶׂהּ־לֹּ֥ו עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדֹּֽו׃
耶和華上帝說：「那人獨居不好，我要為他造一個配偶幫助他。」
耶和华上帝说：「那人独居不好，我要为他造一个配偶帮助他。」
Yēhéhuá Shàngdì shuō: “Nà rén dú jū bù hǎo, wǒ yào wèi tā zào yī gè pèi ǒu bāng zhù tā.”
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper fit for him.”
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 耶和華 / 耶和华 | Yēhéhuá | The LORD | Proper noun |
| 上帝 | Shàngdì | God | Proper noun |
| 說 / 说 | shuō | To say | Verb |
| 那人 | nà rén | That man | Noun |
| 獨居 / 独居 | dú jū | To live alone | Verb phrase |
| 不好 | bù hǎo | Not good | Adjective |
| 我要 | wǒ yào | I will | Phrase |
| 為 / 为 | wèi | For | Preposition |
| 他 | tā | Him | Pronoun |
| 造 | zào | To make, to create | Verb |
| 一個 / 一个 | yī gè | One (measure word) | Numeral + measure word |
| 配偶 | pèi ǒu | Helper, companion | Noun |
| 幫助 / 帮助 | bāng zhù | To help | Verb |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 耶和華上帝說 (Yēhéhuá Shàngdì shuō): Describes God speaking.
- 那人獨居不好 (Nà rén dú jū bù hǎo): Indicates the problem: “The man being alone is not good.”
- 我要為他造一個配偶幫助他 (Wǒ yào wèi tā zào yī gè pèi ǒu bāng zhù tā): States the solution: “I will make a helper for him.”
Key Grammar Points:
- 獨居 / 独居 (dú jū): A verb phrase meaning “to live alone.”
- 為 / 为 (wèi): A preposition indicating purpose or intention, meaning “for.”
- 配偶 (pèi ǒu): Refers to a helper or companion.
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Yēhéhuá Shàngdì shuō: “Nà rén dú jū bù hǎo, wǒ yào wèi tā zào yī gè pèi ǒu bāng zhù tā.”
Tone Practice:
- 耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): 1st tone (flat) + 2nd tone (rising) + 2nd tone (rising)
- 上帝 (Shàngdì): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)
- 說 / 说 (shuō): 1st tone (flat)
- 那人 (nà rén): 4th tone (falling) + 2nd tone (rising)
- 獨居 / 独居 (dú jū): 2nd tone (rising) + 1st tone (flat)
- 不好 (bù hǎo): 4th tone (falling) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 我要 (wǒ yào): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 4th tone (falling)
- 為 / 为 (wèi): 4th tone (falling)
- 他 (tā): 1st tone (flat)
- 造 (zào): 4th tone (falling)
- 一個 / 一个 (yī gè): 1st tone (flat) + 4th tone (falling)
- 配偶 (pèi ǒu): 4th tone (falling) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 幫助 / 帮助 (bāng zhù): 1st tone (flat) + 4th tone (falling)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 獨居 / 独居 (dú jū): Refers to living alone, highlighting the problem addressed by God.
- 配偶 (pèi ǒu): Means “companion” or “partner,” emphasizing the role of the helper.
- 幫助 / 帮助 (bāng zhù): Means “to help” or “to assist,” describing the purpose of the companion.
5. Cultural Insights
- Harmony in Relationships: The creation of a helper reflects the importance of companionship and balance, a concept echoed in Confucian teachings about harmony in relationships.
- Roles and Responsibilities: The description of the helper emphasizes mutual support, similar to Chinese cultural values of interdependence in family and society.
- Divine Intention: The statement highlights the importance of human relationships as part of divine design, paralleling Chinese beliefs about the interconnectedness of humanity and nature.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 獨居 / 独居 (dú jū): Picture a lone figure in a vast garden, symbolizing solitude.
- 配偶 (pèi ǒu): Imagine two hands coming together, symbolizing partnership and mutual support.
- 幫助 / 帮助 (bāng zhù): Visualize someone lifting another person up, representing the act of helping.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- לֹא־טֹ֛וב הֱיֹ֥ות הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדֹּ֑ו (Lo-Tov Heyot HaAdam LeVaddo): → 那人獨居不好 (Nà rén dú jū bù hǎo): Both state that it is not good for the man to be alone.
- אֶֽעֱשֶׂהּ־לֹּ֥ו עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדֹּֽו (E’eseh-Lo Ezer Kenegdo): → 我要為他造一個配偶幫助他 (Wǒ yào wèi tā zào yī gè pèi ǒu bāng zhù tā): Both express God’s intention to create a helper for the man.
- Comparison with English:
- “It is not good for the man to be alone” matches 那人獨居不好 (Nà rén dú jū bù hǎo): Both address the issue of solitude.
- “I will make a helper fit for him” corresponds to 我要為他造一個配偶幫助他 (Wǒ yào wèi tā zào yī gè pèi ǒu bāng zhù tā): Both describe the solution to the problem.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- Balance and Harmony: The helper’s creation reflects the yin-yang balance, a central theme in Chinese philosophy.
- Interdependence: The emphasis on companionship resonates with Confucian ideals of mutual support in relationships.
