וְלִמְשֹׁל֙ בַּיֹּ֣ום וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין הָאֹ֖ור וּבֵ֣ין הַחֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֹֽוב׃
用來管理白晝和黑夜，並區分光明與黑暗。神看這是好的。
用来管理白昼和黑夜，并区分光明与黑暗。神看这是好的。
Yòng lái guǎn lǐ bái zhòu hé hēi yè, bìng qū fēn guāng míng yǔ hēi àn. Shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de.
To rule over the day and the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 用來 / 用来 | yòng lái | Used for | Verb phrase |
| 管理 | guǎn lǐ | Govern, rule, manage | Verb |
| 白晝 / 白昼 | bái zhòu | Daytime | Noun |
| 黑夜 | hēi yè | Night | Noun |
| 並 / 并 | bìng | And, also | Conjunction |
| 區分 / 区分 | qū fēn | Distinguish, divide | Verb |
| 光明 | guāng míng | Light, brightness | Noun |
| 黑暗 | hēi àn | Darkness | Noun |
| 神 | shén | God | Subject noun |
| 看 | kàn | See, observe | Verb |
| 這是 / 这是 | zhè shì | This is | Phrase |
| 好的 | hǎo de | Good | Adjective |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 用來管理白晝和黑夜 (yòng lái guǎn lǐ bái zhòu hé hēi yè): Indicates the purpose of governing the day and night.
- 並區分光明與黑暗 (bìng qū fēn guāng míng yǔ hēi àn): Adds the additional role of distinguishing light from darkness.
- 神看這是好的 (shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de): Declares God’s observation that the creation was good.
Key Grammar Points:
- 用來 / 用来 (yòng lái): Expresses purpose, similar to “used for” or “to” in English.
- 並 / 并 (bìng): Adds emphasis, indicating additional actions or roles.
- 區分 / 区分 (qū fēn): Means “distinguish” or “divide,” used for separating light and darkness.
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Yòng lái guǎn lǐ bái zhòu hé hēi yè, bìng qū fēn guāng míng yǔ hēi àn. Shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de.
Tone Practice:
- 用來 / 用来 (yòng lái): 4th tone (falling) + 2nd tone (rising)
- 管理 (guǎn lǐ): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 白晝 / 白昼 (bái zhòu): 2nd tone (rising) + 4th tone (falling)
- 黑夜 (hēi yè): 1st tone (high) + 4th tone (falling)
- 並 / 并 (bìng): 4th tone (falling)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 管理 (guǎn lǐ): Emphasizes the role of governing or ruling, key to the lights’ purpose.
- 區分 / 区分 (qū fēn): Represents the act of distinguishing or dividing, highlighting the separation of light and darkness.
- 光明 (guāng míng): Means “light” or “brightness,” central to the contrast with darkness.
- 黑暗 (hēi àn): Refers to “darkness,” completing the duality of light and dark.
- 神 (shén): Represents God as the subject performing the action and evaluating the creation.
- 看 (kàn): Means “to see” or “to observe,” emphasizing God’s active evaluation of the creation.
- 好的 (hǎo de): Describes the creation as good, reflecting divine satisfaction.
- 這是 / 这是 (zhè shì): Means “this is,” linking the observation to its conclusion.
5. Cultural Insights
- Governance and Order: The role of celestial lights in 管理 (guǎn lǐ) day and night reflects a universal cultural emphasis on order and authority, central to both Hebrew and Chinese traditions.
- Distinction of Light and Darkness: The act of 區分 / 区分 (qū fēn): symbolizes clarity and separation, resonating with Chinese and Hebrew cosmological ideas of balance and duality.
- Divine Approval: The phrase 神看這是好的 / 神看这是好的 (shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de): mirrors ancient Chinese concepts of harmony and the perfection of creation as evidence of divine wisdom.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 管理 (guǎn lǐ): Imagine a ruler organizing the day and night as distinct realms of time.
- 光明 (guāng míng): Picture a sunrise symbolizing clarity and enlightenment.
- 黑暗 (hēi àn): Envision a starry night sky representing the vastness of darkness.
- 好的 (hǎo de): Think of a creator admiring a completed masterpiece, declaring it good.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וְלִמְשֹׁל֙ בַּיֹּ֣ום וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה (Velimshol Bayom Uvalayla): → 用來管理白晝和黑夜 / 用来管理白昼和黑夜 (yòng lái guǎn lǐ bái zhòu hé hēi yè): Both describe the role of ruling over day and night.
- וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין הָאֹ֖ור וּבֵ֣ין הַחֹ֑שֶׁךְ (Ulehavdil Bein Ha’or Uvein HaChoshekh): → 並區分光明與黑暗 / 并区分光明与黑暗 (bìng qū fēn guāng míng yǔ hēi àn): Both highlight the act of separating light and darkness.
- וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֹֽוב (Vayar Elohim Ki Tov): → 神看這是好的 / 神看这是好的 (shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de): Both declare the creation as good, reflecting divine satisfaction.
- Comparison with English:
- The phrase “To rule over the day and the night” corresponds to 用來管理白晝和黑夜 / 用来管理白昼和黑夜 (yòng lái guǎn lǐ bái zhòu hé hēi yè): Both describe the governance of time by celestial lights.
- “To divide the light from the darkness” aligns with 並區分光明與黑暗 / 并区分光明与黑暗 (bìng qū fēn guāng míng yǔ hēi àn): Both emphasize the separation of light and darkness.
- “And God saw that it was good” corresponds to 神看這是好的 / 神看这是好的 (shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de): Both declare the creation as good and approved by God.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- Duality and Balance: The distinction between light (光明) and darkness (黑暗) aligns with the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang, which values harmony between opposing forces.
- Order in Creation: The governance (管理 / guǎn lǐ) of day and night reflects a shared cultural emphasis on cosmic order and structure.
- Divine Approval: The statement 神看這是好的 / 神看这是好的 (shén kàn zhè shì hǎo de): resonates with Chinese ideas of harmony and the perfection of creation under divine oversight.
