וְקֹ֥וץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ לָ֑ךְ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
地要給你長出荊棘和蒺藜，你也要吃田間的菜蔬。
地要给你长出荆棘和蒺藜，你也要吃田间的菜蔬。
Dì yào gěi nǐ zhǎng chū jīng jí hé jí lí, nǐ yě yào chī tián jiān de cài shū.
The ground will bring forth thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 地 | dì | Ground, earth | Noun |
| 給 / 给 | gěi | To give | Verb |
| 你 | nǐ | You | Pronoun |
| 長出 / 长出 | zhǎng chū | To grow, to bring forth | Verb |
| 荊棘 / 荆棘 | jīng jí | Thorns | Noun |
| 蒺藜 | jí lí | Thistles | Noun |
| 你也 | nǐ yě | You also | Pronoun + Adverb |
| 吃 | chī | To eat | Verb |
| 田間 / 田间 | tián jiān | Of the field | Noun |
| 菜蔬 | cài shū | Vegetables, plants | Noun |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 地要給你長出荊棘和蒺藜 (Dì yào gěi nǐ zhǎng chū jīng jí hé jí lí): Describes the ground producing thorns and thistles for humanity.
- 你也要吃田間的菜蔬 (Nǐ yě yào chī tián jiān de cài shū): Indicates that humans will eat plants of the field as sustenance.
Key Grammar Points:
- 要 (yào): Indicates intention or inevitability, meaning “will” or “shall.”
- 長出 / 长出 (zhǎng chū): A verb phrase meaning “to grow” or “to bring forth.”
- 田間 / 田间 (tián jiān): A locative noun phrase meaning “of the field.”
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Dì yào gěi nǐ zhǎng chū jīng jí hé jí lí, nǐ yě yào chī tián jiān de cài shū.
Tone Practice:
- 地 (dì): 4th tone (falling)
- 要 (yào): 4th tone (falling)
- 給 / 给 (gěi): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 你 (nǐ): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 長出 / 长出 (zhǎng chū): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 1st tone (flat)
- 荊棘 / 荆棘 (jīng jí): 1st tone (flat) + 2nd tone (rising)
- 蒺藜 (jí lí): 2nd tone (rising) + 2nd tone (rising)
- 你也 (nǐ yě): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 吃 (chī): 1st tone (flat)
- 田間 / 田间 (tián jiān): 2nd tone (rising) + 1st tone (flat)
- 菜蔬 (cài shū): 4th tone (falling) + 1st tone (flat)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 荊棘 / 荆棘 (jīng jí): Refers to “thorns,” often used metaphorically to represent obstacles or hardships.
- 蒺藜 (jí lí): Refers to “thistles,” associated with barrenness or difficulty.
- 田間 / 田间 (tián jiān): Means “of the field,” emphasizing agriculture and rural settings.
- 菜蔬 (cài shū): Refers to “vegetables” or “plants,” symbolizing basic sustenance.
5. Cultural Insights
- Thorns and Thistles in Symbolism: In both Hebrew and Chinese traditions, thorns symbolize hardship and punishment, often tied to moral or spiritual failure.
- Agricultural Labor: The shift from effortless provision to labor-intensive agriculture reflects themes found in Chinese cultural narratives about the consequences of human actions.
- Plants of the Field: The reference to plants as sustenance highlights dependence on the earth, a concept deeply rooted in Chinese agrarian society.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 荊棘 / 荆棘 (jīng jí): Imagine a field full of thorny plants as a visual reminder of hardship.
- 蒺藜 (jí lí): Picture small, spiky thistles to associate with the character’s meaning.
- 菜蔬 (cài shū): Visualize a plate of fresh vegetables to reinforce its connection to sustenance.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וְקֹ֥וץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ לָ֑ךְ (VeKotz VeDardar Tatsmiach Lach): → 地要給你長出荊棘和蒺藜 (Dì yào gěi nǐ zhǎng chū jīng jí hé jí lí): Both describe the ground producing thorns and thistles.
- וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה (VeAchalta Et-Esev HaSadeh): → 你也要吃田間的菜蔬 (Nǐ yě yào chī tián jiān de cài shū): Both specify eating plants from the field.
- Comparison with English:
- “The ground will bring forth thorns and thistles for you” corresponds to 地要給你長出荊棘和蒺藜 (Dì yào gěi nǐ zhǎng chū jīng jí hé jí lí): Both emphasize the emergence of undesirable plants.
- “And you will eat the plants of the field” matches 你也要吃田間的菜蔬 (Nǐ yě yào chī tián jiān de cài shū): Both highlight the reliance on cultivated plants for sustenance.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- Thorns as Hardship: Similar to Hebrew culture, Chinese literature often uses thorns as a metaphor for life’s struggles.
- Agriculture as Labor: The transition to working the land reflects historical Chinese views on the importance and burden of agricultural labor.
