וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ קֹ֚ול דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ צֹעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
耶和華說，你做了什麼事？你兄弟的血的聲音從地裡呼喊我。
耶和华说，你做了什么事？你兄弟的血的声音从地里呼喊我。
Yēhéhuá shuō, nǐ zuò le shénme shì? Nǐ xiōngdì de xuè de shēngyīn cóng dì lǐ hūhǎn wǒ.
And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.”
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 說 / 说 | shuō | To say | Verb |
| 什麼 / 什么 | shénme | What | Pronoun |
| 做 / 做 | zuò | To do | Verb |
| 事 | shì | Thing, matter | Noun |
| 血 | xuè | Blood | Noun |
| 聲音 / 声音 | shēngyīn | Voice, sound | Noun |
| 呼喊 | hūhǎn | To cry out | Verb |
| 我 | wǒ | I, me | Pronoun |
| 地 / 地 | dì | Ground, earth | Noun |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 耶和華說 (Yēhéhuá shuō): “The LORD said.” This is a simple subject-verb construction. “說” (shuō) means “to say” and is the main verb here, indicating God’s speech.
- 你做了什麼事 (nǐ zuò le shénme shì): “What have you done?” The phrase “做了” (zuò le) means “have done,” and “什麼事” (shénme shì) means “what thing.” This is a question directed at Cain, asking about his actions.
- 你兄弟的血的聲音 (nǐ xiōngdì de xuè de shēngyīn): “The voice of your brother’s blood.” The phrase “的” (de) is a possessive particle, meaning “of,” and connects “兄弟” (xiōngdì) meaning “brother” with “血” (xuè), meaning “blood.”
- 從地裡呼喊我 (cóng dì lǐ hūhǎn wǒ): “Cries out to me from the ground.” “從” (cóng) means “from,” “地裡” (dì lǐ) means “the ground,” “呼喊” (hūhǎn) means “to cry out,” and “我” (wǒ) means “me.”
Key Grammar Points:
- 說 / 说 (shuō): Verb meaning “to say,” used to describe what the LORD said to Cain.
- 什麼 / 什么 (shénme): Pronoun meaning “what,” used to form a question about Cain’s actions.
- 做 / 做 (zuò): Verb meaning “to do,” indicating Cain’s action that is being questioned.
- 事 (shì): Noun meaning “thing” or “matter,” used in the context of Cain’s action.
- 血 (xuè): Noun meaning “blood,” symbolizing Abel’s death and his cry for justice.
- 聲音 / 声音 (shēngyīn): Noun meaning “voice” or “sound,” referring to the blood of Abel crying out.
- 呼喊 (hūhǎn): Verb meaning “to cry out,” describing how Abel’s blood is calling for justice.
- 我 (wǒ): Pronoun meaning “I” or “me,” referring to God.
- 地 / 地 (dì): Noun meaning “ground,” representing the place where Abel’s blood was spilled.
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Yēhéhuá shuō, nǐ zuò le shénme shì? Nǐ xiōngdì de xuè de shēngyīn cóng dì lǐ hūhǎn wǒ.
Tone Practice:
- 耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): 1st tone (flat) + 2nd tone (rising) + 1st tone (flat)
- 說 / 说 (shuō): 1st tone (flat)
- 什麼 / 什么 (shénme): 2nd tone (rising) + neutral tone (unstressed)
- 做 / 做 (zuò): 4th tone (falling)
- 事 (shì): 4th tone (falling)
- 血 / 血 (xuè): 4th tone (falling)
- 聲音 / 声音 (shēngyīn): 1st tone (flat) + 1st tone (flat)
- 呼喊 / 呼喊 (hūhǎn): 1st tone (flat) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 我 (wǒ): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 地 / 地 (dì): 4th tone (falling)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): Proper noun, “LORD” or “God,” representing God’s name in the Bible.
- 對 / 对 (duì): Preposition meaning “to,” indicating the direction of the question God is asking Cain.
- 做 / 做 (zuò): Verb meaning “to do,” referring to the action Cain is being questioned about.
- 血 / 血 (xuè): Noun meaning “blood,” symbolizing the death of Abel and his call for justice.
- 聲音 / 声音 (shēngyīn): Noun meaning “voice” or “sound,” representing the cry of Abel’s blood from the ground.
- 呼喊 / 呼喊 (hūhǎn): Verb meaning “to cry out,” referring to the voice of Abel’s blood calling for justice.
- 地 / 地 (dì): Noun meaning “ground,” where Abel’s blood was spilled and is now crying out for justice.
- 我 / 我 (wǒ): Pronoun meaning “I” or “me,” referring to God in this case, indicating the one to whom Abel’s blood is crying.
5. Cultural Insights
- The Concept of Justice and Accountability: The idea of justice and accountability is deeply embedded in many cultures, including both the Biblical and Chinese traditions. Cain’s act of killing Abel is met with divine questioning and judgment. In Chinese culture, the principle of 因果报应 (yīn guǒ bào yìng), which means “cause and effect,” is a common theme, where one’s actions lead to inevitable consequences.
- Divine Justice and Moral Responsibility: In both the Bible and Chinese traditions, there is a strong emphasis on divine justice. Cain’s murder of Abel is met with God’s inquiry, and in Chinese culture, there is a similar emphasis on moral responsibility and divine retribution. In Chinese thought, wrongdoing often leads to punishment, and good actions are rewarded.
- The Concept of Blood as a Symbol: In this passage, Abel’s blood cries out from the ground. In Chinese culture, blood often symbolizes life and death, and it is associated with strong emotions such as loyalty, family bonds, and vengeance. Blood is also seen as a powerful symbol of justice and retribution in many Chinese legends and historical tales.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 血 / 血 (xuè): Remember “xuè” by thinking of the phrase “blood cries out,” as Abel’s blood is the central symbol in this passage.
- 聲音 / 声音 (shēngyīn): “Shēng” sounds like “sing,” and “yīn” sounds like “echo.” Think of the “echo of Abel’s blood” crying out from the earth.
- 呼喊 / 呼喊 (hūhǎn): “Hū” sounds like “howl,” and “hǎn” sounds like “shout.” Imagine the blood of Abel howling and shouting for justice.
- 地 / 地 (dì): “Dì” sounds like “earth,” representing the ground where Abel’s blood is calling out for justice.
- 我 / 我 (wǒ): “Wǒ” sounds like “who,” think of God saying, “Who will answer the cry of Abel’s blood?”
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ (Vayomer meh asita): → 耶和華說 (Yēhéhuá shuō): In both languages, God is asking Cain about his action. The question is expressed directly and urgently in both versions.
- קֹ֚ול דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ (qol d’mei achikha): → 你兄弟的血的聲音 (nǐ xiōngdì de xuè de shēngyīn): Both languages describe the voice of Abel’s blood crying out, which signifies the urgent need for justice.
- צֹעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה (tzoaqim elay min ha’adamah): → 從地裡呼喊我 (cóng dì lǐ hūhǎn wǒ): In both the Hebrew and Chinese, the blood “cries out” from the ground, indicating the cry for justice and accountability.
- Comparison with English:
- “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” corresponds to 耶和華說，你做了什麼事？你兄弟的血的聲音從地裡呼喊我 (Yēhéhuá shuō, nǐ zuò le shénme shì? Nǐ xiōngdì de xuè de shēngyīn cóng dì lǐ hūhǎn wǒ): Both languages express God’s direct question and the urgent call from the ground for justice.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- The Idea of Justice: In both the Bible and Chinese culture, blood can symbolize justice. In the Bible, Abel’s blood cries out for justice, while in Chinese culture, the act of seeking justice is often tied to the idea of 復仇 (fùchóu), meaning “revenge” or “seeking retribution” for wrongs.
- The Role of Guilt and Accountability: In Chinese culture, actions and their consequences are central, as in the principle of 因果報應 (yīn guǒ bào yìng), where one’s actions will inevitably lead to consequences. Similarly, Cain’s actions lead to divine confrontation and judgment in both the Hebrew and Chinese versions.
