Genesis 1:31

וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־טֹ֖וב מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר יֹ֥ום הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי׃

神看一切所造的都甚好。有晚上，有早晨，是第六日。

神看一切所造的都甚好。有晚上，有早晨，是第六日。

Shén kàn yī qiè suǒ zào de dōu shèn hǎo. Yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén, shì dì liù rì.

God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

1. Vocabulary Breakdown

Chinese Character Pinyin Meaning Grammar Role
神 shén God Subject noun
看 kàn See Verb
一切 yī qiè All, everything Quantifier
所造的 suǒ zào de That was made Relative clause
都 dōu All Adverb
甚好 shèn hǎo Very good Adjective phrase
有 yǒu There is Verb
晚上 wǎn shàng Evening Noun
早晨 zǎo chén Morning Noun
第六日 dì liù rì The sixth day Noun phrase

2. Grammar Explanation

Sentence Structure:

  • 神看一切所造的 (shén kàn yī qiè suǒ zào de): Describes God observing all that He had created.
  • 都甚好 (dōu shèn hǎo): Declares that all was very good.
  • 有晚上，有早晨 (yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén): Indicates the sequence of evening and morning.
  • 是第六日 (shì dì liù rì): Identifies this as the sixth day.

Key Grammar Points:

  • 所 (suǒ): A particle used in relative clauses, equivalent to “that which” in English.
  • 都 (dōu): An adverb meaning “all,” used for emphasis.
  • 甚好 (shèn hǎo): A descriptive phrase meaning “very good,” indicating excellence.

3. Pronunciation Practice

Pinyin: Shén kàn yī qiè suǒ zào de dōu shèn hǎo. Yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén, shì dì liù rì.

Tone Practice:

  • 神 (shén): 2nd tone (rising)
  • 看 (kàn): 4th tone (falling)
  • 甚好 (shèn hǎo): 4th tone (falling) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
  • 晚上 (wǎn shàng): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + neutral tone
  • 第六日 (dì liù rì): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)

4. Character Learning

Key Characters:

  • 看 (kàn): Represents observing or seeing, often used for divine observation.
  • 甚好 (shèn hǎo): Indicates something is exceedingly good or excellent.
  • 晚上 / 早晨 (wǎn shàng / zǎo chén): Refer to evening and morning, marking the progression of a day.
  • 第六日 (dì liù rì): Identifies the sixth day in sequence, using ordinal numbers.

5. Cultural Insights

  • Divine Approval: The declaration 甚好 (shèn hǎo): reflects both Hebrew and Chinese appreciation for the perfection of creation.
  • Cycle of Time: The reference to evening and morning aligns with traditional Chinese concepts of time’s cyclical nature.
  • Order and Completion: The sixth day’s completion emphasizes balance and finality, resonating with Chinese cultural values of harmony and fulfillment.

6. Mnemonics for Retention

  • 看 (kàn): Imagine God looking down at His creation with satisfaction.
  • 甚好 (shèn hǎo): Visualize a masterpiece labeled “very good” to signify excellence.
  • 晚上 / 早晨 (wǎn shàng / zǎo chén): Think of the transition from evening to morning, marking a new day.
  • 第六日 (dì liù rì): Picture the number six prominently to remember the sixth day.

7. Comparative Studies

  • Comparison with Hebrew:
    • וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹהִים (VaYar Elohim): → 神看 (shén kàn): Both describe God observing His creation.
    • כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה (Kol Asher Asa): → 一切所造的 (yī qiè suǒ zào de): Both refer to all that was made.
    • טֹ֖וב מְאֹ֑ד (Tov Me’od) ): → 甚好 (shèn hǎo): Both declare the creation as exceedingly good.
    • וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר (VaYehi Erev VaYehi Boker): → 有晚上，有早晨 (yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén): Both emphasize the sequence of evening and morning.
    • יֹ֥ום הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי (Yom HaShishi): → 第六日 (dì liù rì): Both identify the sixth day as the culmination of creation.
  • Comparison with English:
    • “God saw all that He had made” aligns with 神看一切所造的 (shén kàn yī qiè suǒ zào de): Both describe God reviewing His creation.
    • “It was very good” corresponds to 都甚好 (dōu shèn hǎo): Both affirm the goodness and perfection of creation.
    • “There was evening, and there was morning” matches 有晚上，有早晨 (yǒu wǎn shàng, yǒu zǎo chén): Both reflect the Hebrew day structure.
    • “The sixth day” matches 第六日 (dì liù rì): Both indicate the completion of the sixth day of creation.
  • Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
    • Perfection and Harmony: The phrase 甚好 (shèn hǎo): resonates with the Chinese cultural ideal of achieving balance and excellence in work.
    • Cycles of Time: The emphasis on evening and morning aligns with traditional Chinese views of natural cycles, such as yin and yang.
    • Six as Symbolic: In Chinese culture, the number six can symbolize smoothness and success, reflecting the culmination of the creation process.

 

By moxi

摩西