וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאֹ֖ור כִּי־טֹ֑וב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹהִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָאֹ֖ור וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
神看光是好的，就把光與黑暗分開了。
神看光是好的，就把光与黑暗分开了。
Shén kàn guāng shì hǎo de, jiù bǎ guāng yǔ hēi’àn fēn kāi le.
And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 神 | shén | God | Subject noun |
| 看 | kàn | See, look | Verb |
| 光 | guāng | Light | Noun |
| 是 | shì | Is | Verb |
| 好 | hǎo | Good | Adjective |
| 就 | jiù | Then | Adverb |
| 把 | bǎ | (Object marker) | Particle |
| 与 / 與 | yǔ | And | Conjunction |
| 黑暗 | hēi’àn | Darkness | Noun |
| 分开 / 分開 | fēn kāi | Separate, divide | Verb |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 神看光是好的 (shén kàn guāng shì hǎo de): Subject-verb-object structure with a complement (“that it was good”).
- 就把光与黑暗分开了 (jiù bǎ guāng yǔ hēi’àn fēn kāi le): Uses the 把 construction to focus on the action of separating the light and darkness.
Key Grammar Points:
- 看 (kàn): Indicates observation or evaluation.
- 把 (bǎ): Emphasizes the object of the action.
- 与 (yǔ): Connects two nouns, equivalent to “and.”
- 了 (le): Marks the completion of the action.
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Shén kàn guāng shì hǎo de, jiù bǎ guāng yǔ hēi’àn fēn kāi le.
Tone Practice:
- 神 (shén): 2nd tone (rising)
- 看 (kàn): 4th tone (falling)
- 光 (guāng): 1st tone (high)
- 好 (hǎo): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 分 (fēn): 1st tone (high)
- 开 / 開 (kāi): 1st tone (high)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 光 (guāng): Symbolizes light or illumination, often used figuratively for goodness or clarity.
- 黑暗 (hēi’àn): Represents darkness, combining 黑 (black) and 暗 (dark).
- 分开 (fēn kāi): Means to separate or divide, a key action in the verse.
5. Cultural Insights
- Light vs. Darkness: The separation of light and darkness is a universal symbol of order overcoming chaos, common in both Chinese and Hebrew traditions.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 光 (guāng): Picture a shining sun or lamp to recall the character for light.
- 黑暗 (hēi’àn): Imagine a dark night, with the character 黑 resembling a darkened field.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִים (Vayar Elohim): → 神看 (shén kàn): Both describe God seeing the light.
- כִּי־טֹ֑וב (Ki-tov): → 是好的 (shì hǎo de): Expresses that the light was good.
- וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל (Vayavdel): → 就把…分开了 (jiù bǎ…fēn kāi le): Both describe the act of separating light and darkness.
- Comparison with English:
- Chinese uses 看 (kàn): to express God’s observation, aligning with “saw” in English.
- The word 就 (jiù): emphasizes the immediacy of the action, similar to “and then.”
