וַיִּרְא֤וּ בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּנֹ֣ות הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֥י טֹבֹ֖ת הֵ֑נָּה וַיִּקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּחָֽרוּ׃
神的兒子們看見人的女兒美貌，就隨意挑選，娶來為妻。
神的儿子们看见人的女儿美貌，就随意挑选，娶来为妻。
Shén de érzi men kànjiàn rén de nǚ’ér měimào, jiù suíyì tiāoxuǎn, qǔ lái wéi qī.
The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took wives for themselves from whomever they chose.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 神 | Shén | God | Noun |
| 的 | de | Possessive particle | Particle |
| 兒子 / 儿子 | érzi | Son | Noun |
| 們 / 们 | men | Plural suffix | Particle |
| 看見 / 看见 | kànjiàn | To see | Verb |
| 人 | rén | People, human | Noun |
| 女兒 / 女儿 | nǚ’ér | Daughters | Noun |
| 美貌 | měimào | Beautiful appearance | Noun |
| 就 | jiù | Then | Adverb |
| 隨意 / 随意 | suíyì | As one pleases | Adverb |
| 挑選 / 挑选 | tiāoxuǎn | To choose | Verb |
| 娶 | qǔ | To marry (a wife) | Verb |
| 來 / 来 | lái | To come | Verb |
| 為 / 为 | wéi | To be | Preposition |
| 妻 | qī | Wife | Noun |
2. Grammar Explanation
- 神的兒子們 / 神的儿子们 (Shén de érzi men): “The sons of God,” referring to divine beings or angels, with the possessive particle “的” linking “God” and “sons.”
- 看見 / 看见 (kànjiàn): “To see,” describing the observation of human daughters.
- 隨意 / 随意 (suíyì): “As one pleases,” emphasizing the arbitrary nature of their choice.
- 娶來為妻 / 娶来为妻 (qǔ lái wéi qī): “To take as wives,” indicating the action of marrying the women.
3. Pronunciation Practice
- 神 / 神 (Shén): [Shén] – Rising tone.
- 兒子 / 儿子 (érzi): [ér zǐ] – “Ér” has a rising tone, and “zǐ” has a neutral tone.
- 看見 / 看见 (kànjiàn): [kàn jiàn] – Both syllables have a falling tone.
- 女兒 / 女儿 (nǚ’ér): [nǚ ér] – “Nǚ” has a falling-rising tone, and “ér” has a rising tone.
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 神 / 神 (Shén): God, referring to the divine or supernatural beings in this context.
- 看見 / 看见 (kànjiàn): “To see,” emphasizing perception and observation.
- 隨意 / 随意 (suíyì): “As one pleases,” highlighting the unrestricted actions of the sons of God.
- 妻 / 妻 (qī): Wife, central to the concept of taking women as companions.
5. Cultural Insights
- Divine and Human Interaction: This passage illustrates a controversial moment of interaction between divine beings and humans, which has been interpreted variously across cultures.
- Marriage Practices: The description of taking wives aligns with the patriarchal structures of ancient societies, where men often chose partners without the woman’s consent.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 神 / 神 (Shén): Remember God as the overarching entity observing and involved in human affairs.
- 看見 / 看见 (kànjiàn): Associate “to see” with the act of divine beings noticing human beauty.
- 隨意 / 随意 (suíyì): Imagine someone casually picking from a selection to recall the unrestricted nature of the sons of God’s choices.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew: The Hebrew “וַיִּרְא֤וּ בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙” translates to “神的兒子們看見,” both emphasizing the observation by divine beings of human daughters.
- Comparison with Chinese Culture: The idea of divine beings interacting with humans appears in Chinese mythology as well, such as the tales of celestial maidens and earthly men.
8. Application
This passage invites reflection on the relationships between the spiritual and physical worlds. In modern contexts, it challenges readers to consider the balance between power, consent, and respect in human relationships. It also serves as a reminder of the consequences of unchecked desires and actions.
