וַיִּצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה כָּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־עֹ֣וף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לִרְאֹ֖ות מַה־יִּקְרָא־לֹ֑ו וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־לֹ֧ו הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה ה֥וּא שְׁמֹֽו׃
耶和華上帝用地上的塵土造了野地各樣的走獸和天空各樣的飛鳥，把它們帶到那人面前，看他怎樣給它們起名字；那人給活物起的名字，就是它的名字。
耶和华上帝用地上的尘土造了野地各样的走兽和天空各样的飞鸟，把它们带到那人面前，看他怎样给它们起名字；那人给活物起的名字，就是它的名字。
Yēhéhuá Shàngdì yòng dì shàng de chén tǔ zào le yě dì gè yàng de zǒu shòu hé tiān kōng gè yàng de fēi niǎo, bǎ tā men dài dào nà rén miàn qián, kàn tā zěn yàng gěi tā men qǐ míng zì; nà rén gěi huó wù qǐ de míng zì, jiù shì tā de míng zì.
The LORD God formed out of the ground every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
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 |
| 用 | yòng | To use | Verb |
| 地上的 | dì shàng de | Of the ground | Prepositional phrase |
| 塵土 / 尘土 | chén tǔ | Dust | Noun |
| 造了 | zào le | Formed, created | Verb |
| 野地 | yě dì | Field, countryside | Noun |
| 各樣 / 各样 | gè yàng | Every kind | Noun |
| 走獸 / 走兽 | zǒu shòu | Beasts | Noun |
| 天空 | tiān kōng | Sky, heavens | Noun |
| 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 | fēi niǎo | Flying birds | Noun |
| 把 | bǎ | Particle introducing an object | Particle |
| 它們 / 它们 | tā men | Them | Pronoun |
| 帶到 / 带到 | dài dào | To bring | Verb |
| 那人 | nà rén | The man | Noun |
| 面前 | miàn qián | In front of | Prepositional phrase |
| 看 | kàn | To see | Verb |
| 怎樣 / 怎样 | zěn yàng | How | Adverb |
| 給 / 给 | gěi | To give | Verb |
| 起名字 | qǐ míng zì | To name | Verb phrase |
| 活物 | huó wù | Living creature | Noun |
| 就是 | jiù shì | Is exactly | Verb |
| 它的名字 | tā de míng zì | Its name | Noun phrase |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 耶和華上帝用地上的塵土造了 (Yēhéhuá Shàngdì yòng dì shàng de chén tǔ zào le): Describes God’s act of forming animals from dust.
- 把它們帶到那人面前 (Bǎ tā men dài dào nà rén miàn qián): Indicates God bringing the animals to the man.
- 看他怎樣給它們起名字 (Kàn tā zěn yàng gěi tā men qǐ míng zì): Refers to observing how the man names them.
- 那人給活物起的名字，就是它的名字 (Nà rén gěi huó wù qǐ de míng zì, jiù shì tā de míng zì): Explains that the man’s naming decision becomes the creature’s name.
Key Grammar Points:
- 用 (yòng): Indicates the method or material used, meaning “to use” or “with.”
- 把 (bǎ): A particle used to emphasize the object being acted upon.
- 怎樣 / 怎样 (zěn yàng): A question word meaning “how” or “in what way.”
- 起名字 (qǐ míng zì): A verb phrase meaning “to name” or “to give a name.”
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Yēhéhuá Shàngdì yòng dì shàng de chén tǔ zào le yě dì gè yàng de zǒu shòu hé tiān kōng gè yàng de fēi niǎo, bǎ tā men dài dào nà rén miàn qián, kàn tā zěn yàng gěi tā men qǐ míng zì; nà rén gěi huó wù qǐ de míng zì, jiù shì tā de míng zì.
Tone Practice:
- 用 (yòng): 4th tone (falling)
- 地上的 (dì shàng de): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling) + neutral tone
- 塵土 / 尘土 (chén tǔ): 2nd tone (rising) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 造了 (zào le): 4th tone (falling) + neutral tone
- 走獸 / 走兽 (zǒu shòu): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 4th tone (falling)
- 飛鳥 / 飞鸟 (fēi niǎo): 1st tone (flat) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 帶到 / 带到 (dài dào): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)
- 怎樣 / 怎样 (zěn yàng): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 4th tone (falling)
- 起名字 (qǐ míng zì): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 2nd tone (rising) + 4th tone (falling)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 塵土 / 尘土 (chén tǔ): Represents dust, symbolizing humility and simplicity as materials of creation.
- 走獸 / 走兽 (zǒu shòu): Refers to beasts of the field, emphasizing variety and creativity in creation.
- 起名字 (qǐ míng zì): Highlights the act of naming as a symbol of authority and relationship.
5. Cultural Insights
- Authority in Naming: The act of naming in Hebrew culture reflects dominion and understanding, similar to the Confucian emphasis on proper names and roles.
- Dust and Creation: The use of dust to form living creatures resonates with Chinese myths of humans being formed from natural elements.
- Order and Harmony: Bringing animals to the man highlights the harmony and order in creation, a theme central to both Hebrew and Chinese worldviews.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 塵土 / 尘土 (chén tǔ): Visualize hands gathering dust to form shapes, representing creation from the earth.
- 走獸 / 走兽 (zǒu shòu): Picture various animals walking in a line toward the man for naming.
- 起名字 (qǐ míng zì): Imagine a scroll where names are written as they are given, symbolizing authority and record.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיִּצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה (VaYitzer Adonai Elohim Min-HaAdamah): → 耶和華上帝用地上的塵土造了 (Yēhéhuá Shàngdì yòng dì shàng de chén tǔ zào le): Both describe forming creatures from the ground.
- וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם (VaYave El-HaAdam): → 把它們帶到那人面前 (Bǎ tā men dài dào nà rén miàn qián): Both depict bringing animals to the man.
- מַה־יִּקְרָא־לֹ֑ו (Mah Yiqra Lo): → 看他怎樣給它們起名字 (Kàn tā zěn yàng gěi tā men qǐ míng zì): Both focus on the naming process.
- Comparison with English:
- “The LORD God formed out of the ground” matches 耶和華上帝用地上的塵土造了 (Yēhéhuá Shàngdì yòng dì shàng de chén tǔ zào le): Both emphasize creation from the ground.
- “Brought them to the man to see what he would call them” aligns with 把它們帶到那人面前，看他怎樣給它們起名字 (Bǎ tā men dài dào nà rén miàn qián, kàn tā zěn yàng gěi tā men qǐ míng zì): Both describe presenting the animals for naming.
- “Whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name” corresponds to 那人給活物起的名字，就是它的名字 (Nà rén gěi huó wù qǐ de míng zì, jiù shì tā de míng zì): Both state the authority of the man’s naming.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- Creation and Nature: The description of forming animals from the ground echoes Chinese myths where natural elements are used in creation.
- Authority through Naming: Naming reflects order and responsibility, resonating with Confucian principles of proper roles and relationships.
