Genesis 4:17 – Learn Chinese Bible

וַיֵּ֤דַע קַ֨יִן֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתֹּ֔ו וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־חֲנֹ֑וךְ וַֽיְהִי֙ בֹּ֣נֶה עִ֔יר וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנֹ֥ו חֲנֹֽוךְ׃

該隱與他的妻子同房，她懷孕生了哈諾客，並且建立了城市，稱那城市的名字為哈諾客，與他兒子的名字相同。

该隐与他的妻子同房，她怀孕生了哈诺客，并且建立了城市，称那城市的名字为哈诺客，与他儿子的名字相同。

Gāi yǐn yǔ tā de qīzi tóng fáng, tā huáiyùn shēngle Hā nuò kè, bìngqiě jiànlìle chéngshì, chēng nà chéngshì de míngzì wéi Hā nuò kè, yǔ tā érzi de míngzì xiāngtóng.

Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. He built a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.

1. Vocabulary Breakdown

Chinese Character	Pinyin	Meaning	Grammar Role
該隱 / 该隐	Gāi yǐn	Cain (proper noun)	Proper noun
與 / 与	yǔ	With	Preposition
他的 / 他的	tā de	His	Possessive pronoun
妻子 / 妻子	qīzi	Wife	Noun
同房 / 同房	tóng fáng	To sleep with, to have sexual relations	Verb phrase
懷孕 / 怀孕	huáiyùn	To be pregnant	Verb
生 / 生	shēng	To give birth to	Verb
哈諾客 / 哈诺客	Hā nuò kè	Enoch (proper noun)	Proper noun
並且 / 并且	bìngqiě	And, moreover	Conjunction
建立 / 建立	jiànlì	To build	Verb
城市 / 城市	chéngshì	City	Noun
稱 / 称	chēng	To call, to name	Verb
名字 / 名字	míngzì	Name	Noun
相同 / 相同	xiāngtóng	Same	Adjective

2. Grammar Explanation

Sentence Structure:

該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi yǐn): The name of Cain, a proper noun in Chinese representing the first murderer in the Bible.
與 / 与 (yǔ): Preposition meaning “with,” indicating the relationship between Cain and his wife.
他的 / 他的 (tā de): Possessive pronoun meaning “his,” referring to Cain’s wife in this context.
妻子 / 妻子 (qīzi): The noun for “wife,” indicating the woman Cain is married to.
同房 / 同房 (tóng fáng): Verb phrase meaning “to sleep with” or “to have sexual relations,” indicating the act of Cain and his wife having a child.
懷孕 / 怀孕 (huáiyùn): Verb meaning “to be pregnant,” showing that Cain’s wife became pregnant and bore a child.
生 / 生 (shēng): Verb meaning “to give birth,” indicating the birth of Cain’s son.
哈諾客 / 哈诺客 (Hā nuò kè): Proper noun for Enoch, the son of Cain.
並且 / 并且 (bìngqiě): Conjunction meaning “and,” indicating that after the birth of Cain’s son, he also built a city.
建立 / 建立 (jiànlì): Verb meaning “to build,” referring to Cain building a city after the birth of his son.
城市 / 城市 (chéngshì): Noun meaning “city,” referring to the place Cain established.
稱 / 称 (chēng): Verb meaning “to call” or “to name,” indicating that Cain named the city after his son, Enoch.
名字 / 名字 (míngzì): Noun meaning “name,” referring to the name given to the city by Cain.
相同 / 相同 (xiāngtóng): Adjective meaning “the same,” indicating that the name of the city and the name of Cain’s son were identical.

3. Pronunciation Practice

Pinyin: Gāi yǐn jiù líkāi Yēhéhuá de miàn, zhù zài Yīdiàn yuán dōngbiān de Nuó dé dì.

Tone Practice:

該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi yǐn): 1st tone (flat) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
與 / 与 (yǔ): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
妻子 / 妻子 (qīzi): 1st tone (flat) + neutral tone
同房 / 同房 (tóng fáng): 2nd tone (rising) + 2nd tone (rising)
懷孕 / 怀孕 (huáiyùn): 2nd tone (rising) + 4th tone (falling)
生 / 生 (shēng): 1st tone (flat)
哈諾客 / 哈诺客 (Hā nuò kè): 1st tone (flat) + 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)
並且 / 并且 (bìngqiě): 4th tone (falling) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
建立 / 建立 (jiànlì): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)
城市 / 城市 (chéngshì): 2nd tone (rising) + 4th tone (falling)
稱 / 称 (chēng): 1st tone (flat)
名字 / 名字 (míngzì): 2nd tone (rising) + neutral tone
相同 / 相同 (xiāngtóng): 1st tone (flat) + 2nd tone (rising)

4. Character Learning

Key Characters:

該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi yǐn): The name of Cain. This is a proper noun in Chinese representing the first murderer in the Bible.
與 / 与 (yǔ): Preposition meaning “with,” indicating the relationship between Cain and his wife.
妻子 / 妻子 (qīzi): The noun for “wife,” indicating the woman Cain is married to.
同房 / 同房 (tóng fáng): Verb phrase meaning “to sleep with” or “to have sexual relations,” indicating the act of Cain and his wife having a child.
懷孕 / 怀孕 (huáiyùn): Verb meaning “to be pregnant,” showing that Cain’s wife became pregnant and bore a child.
生 / 生 (shēng): Verb meaning “to give birth,” indicating the birth of Cain’s son.
哈諾客 / 哈诺客 (Hā nuò kè): Proper noun for Enoch, the son of Cain.
並且 / 并且 (bìngqiě): Conjunction meaning “and,” indicating that after the birth of Cain’s son, he also built a city.
建立 / 建立 (jiànlì): Verb meaning “to build,” referring to Cain building a city after the birth of his son.
城市 / 城市 (chéngshì): Noun meaning “city,” referring to the place Cain established.
稱 / 称 (chēng): Verb meaning “to call” or “to name,” indicating that Cain named the city after his son, Enoch.
名字 / 名字 (míngzì): Noun meaning “name,” referring to the name given to the city by Cain.
相同 / 相同 (xiāngtóng): Adjective meaning “the same,” indicating that the name of the city and the name of Cain’s son were identical.

5. Cultural Insights

The Theme of Legacy: Cain’s naming of the city after his son reflects the theme of legacy and continuity. In many cultures, naming a place after someone, particularly a loved one, is a way to immortalize them and leave a lasting legacy. In Chinese culture, this concept is closely related to 留名 (liú míng), or “to leave one’s name,” a way of ensuring that one’s actions and name continue through generations.
The Significance of Naming: The act of naming, particularly naming a city after a person, is an important symbolic gesture. In Chinese culture, names carry deep significance, often reflecting hopes, aspirations, or the qualities of the individual. Cain’s naming of the city after his son Enoch serves as a symbol of his desire to mark his existence and his family’s legacy in a world that will remember them.
Connection Between Action and Legacy: Cain’s choice to build a city and name it after his son is also symbolic of his attempt to create something lasting despite his earlier transgressions. This is mirrored in Chinese thought through the emphasis on 功德 (gōngdé), or “merit,” where one’s actions in life are seen as part of the legacy that they leave behind. Cain’s creation of the city serves as an act to counterbalance the sin he committed, trying to establish a new chapter in his life and his family’s future.

6. Mnemonics for Retention

該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi yǐn): Think of Cain as the first “bad” son in the Bible. His name represents a stark contrast to his brother Abel.
同房 / 同房 (tóng fáng): This phrase can be remembered as a formal way of referring to marital relations, highlighting the concept of unity and familial ties.
哈諾客 / 哈诺客 (Hā nuò kè): This is a name you can associate with the idea of “beginning,” as Cain’s son Enoch represents the start of a new generation.
城市 / 城市 (chéngshì): Think of a city as a “place of significance” that holds the collective identity of a community, just as Cain’s city symbolizes his legacy.

7. Comparative Studies

Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיֵּ֥דַע קַ֨יִן (vayeda’ kain): → 該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi yǐn): Both versions use the name of Cain to identify the central figure in the passage, with the Hebrew focusing on the action of knowing his wife, and the Chinese emphasizing the fact that Cain knew his wife and had a son.
- וַיִּקְרָא (vayikra): → 稱 / 称 (chēng): Both texts show Cain naming the city after his son. In both the Hebrew and Chinese, naming is an act of identity and legacy.
Comparison with English:
- “Cain knew his wife, and she bore Enoch. Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch” (English) vs. “該隱與他的妻子同房，她懷孕生了哈諾客，並且建立了城市，稱那城市的名字為哈諾客，與他兒子的名字相同” (Chinese):
  Both versions follow the same narrative flow, with the English version emphasizing the actions of knowing, bearing, and naming, while the Chinese version retains a slightly more formal tone and syntax. Both versions highlight the symbolic significance of Cain’s actions through the naming of the city after his son.
Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- The Concept of Legacy: The Chinese idea of “leaving one’s name” (留名) is reflected in Cain’s action of naming the city after his son, a way to ensure that his name and legacy would live on.
- The Role of Naming in Cultural Continuity: In Chinese culture, names hold great significance, often indicating the purpose or legacy of an individual. This is reflected in Cain’s act of naming the city after his son, linking the name of the city to the continuity of his family’s line and legacy.

8. Application

The story of Cain building a city and naming it after his son highlights the universal desire to create something lasting, even in the face of past wrongs. Cain’s attempt to build a legacy after committing a grave sin reflects the human need for redemption and the desire to make amends for past mistakes. In both the biblical and Chinese traditions, the act of naming and creating something permanent serves as a way of asserting control over one’s future and ensuring that one’s legacy lives on despite previous transgressions.

In modern applications, this story can be interpreted as a lesson in the possibility of redemption and the importance of constructing something positive after mistakes. Just as Cain sought to build a city to establish a new identity for himself, we too have the power to shape our futures and leave behind something of value, despite our past errors. This theme of overcoming past mistakes and building a legacy can resonate deeply in various cultures, including Chinese, where the idea of redemption and maintaining family honor is highly valued.

The creation of a city in this context may also symbolize the creation of a new beginning. This applies to individuals who have made significant errors but seek to build a positive and lasting impact in their personal and professional lives. The importance of legacy, family, and honor remains a significant theme in both religious and cultural contexts, providing a foundation for personal growth and transformation.