וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים לָאֹור֙ יֹ֔ום וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר יֹ֥ום אֶחָֽד׃ פ
神稱光為晝，稱暗為夜。有晚上，有早晨，這是第一日。
神称光为昼，称暗为夜。有晚上，有早晨，这是第一日。
Shén chēng guāng wéi zhòu, chēng àn wéi yè. Yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén, zhè shì dì yī rì.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 神 | shén | God | Subject noun |
| 稱 / 称 | chēng | Call, name | Verb |
| 光 | guāng | Light | Noun |
| 為 / 为 | wéi | As, to be | Preposition |
| 晝 / 昼 | zhòu | Day | Noun |
| 暗 | àn | Darkness | Noun |
| 夜 | yè | Night | Noun |
| 有 | yǒu | There is, have | Verb |
| 晚上 | wǎn shàng | Evening | Noun |
| 早晨 | zǎo chén | Morning | Noun |
| 這是 / 这是 | zhè shì | This is | Phrase |
| 第一日 | dì yī rì | First day | Phrase |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 神稱光為晝 (shén chēng guāng wéi zhòu): Subject-verb-object structure, with 為 / 为 (wéi) indicating “as.”
- 稱暗為夜 (chēng àn wéi yè): A parallel structure for naming darkness as night.
- 有晚上，有早晨 (yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén): Indicates “there was evening, there was morning.”
Key Grammar Points:
- 稱 / 称 (chēng): Used for naming or calling something.
- 為 / 为 (wéi): Connects the object being named to its designation.
- 有 (yǒu): Indicates existence (“there was”).
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Shén chēng guāng wéi zhòu, chēng àn wéi yè. Yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén, zhè shì dì yī rì.
Tone Practice:
- 神 (shén): 2nd tone (rising)
- 稱 / 称 (chēng): 1st tone (high)
- 光 (guāng): 1st tone (high)
- 晝 / 昼 (zhòu): 4th tone (falling)
- 晚 (wǎn): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 晨 (chén): 2nd tone (rising)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 晝 / 昼 (zhòu): Represents “day,” commonly paired with 夜 (yè) for contrast.
- 晚上 (wǎn shàng): Means “evening,” combining 晚 (late) and 上 (above).
- 早晨 (zǎo chén): Means “morning,” pairing 早 (early) and 晨 (morning).
5. Cultural Insights
- Day and Night Naming: In Chinese and Hebrew cultures, naming reflects dominion and order. The act of naming light and darkness demonstrates authority over creation.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 晝 / 昼 (zhòu): Imagine the sun shining during the day.
- 夜 (yè): Picture the moon and stars to recall the night.
- 早晨 (zǎo chén): Visualize sunrise bringing a new day.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִים (Vayikra Elohim): → 神稱 (shén chēng): Both describe God naming the light and darkness, reflecting authority over creation.
- לָאֹור יֹ֔ום (La’or Yom): → 光為晝 (guāng wéi zhòu): Both identify light as “day.”
- לַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה (Lachoshekh Kara Layla): → 暗為夜 (àn wéi yè): Both assign the name “night” to darkness.
- וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר (Vayehi Erev Vayehi Boker): → 有晚上，有早晨 (yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén): Both describe the transition from evening to morning, indicating the passage of a full day.
- יֹ֥ום אֶחָֽד (Yom Echad): → 第一日 (dì yī rì): The Hebrew “Day One” is translated as “the first day,” maintaining the sequence of creation.
- Comparison with English:
- Both English and Chinese translations capture the structure and flow of the Hebrew text, including the act of naming and the sequence of day and night.
- Chinese uses 為 / 为 (wéi): “as” to connect the names to their respective entities, similar to the English “called.”
- Chinese explicitly includes 有 (yǒu): “there was,” aligning with the Hebrew וַֽיְהִי (Vayehi): “and there was.”
- English and Chinese both use distinct terms for “evening” and “morning” to reflect the natural progression of time.
