Genesis 4:15 – Learn Chinese Bible

וַיֹּ֧אמֶר לֹ֣ו יְהוָ֗ה לָכֵן֙ כָּל־הֹרֵ֣ג קַ֔יִן שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקָּ֑ם וַיָּ֨שֶׂם יְהוָ֤ה לְקַ֨יִן֙ אֹ֔ות לְבִלְתִּ֥י הַכֹּות־אֹתֹ֖ו כָּל־מֹצְאֹֽו׃

耶和華對該隱說：凡殺該隱的，必遭七倍報應。耶和華便為該隱立了記號，免得凡遇見他的，都殺他。

耶和华对该隐说：凡杀该隐的，必遭七倍报应。耶和华便为该隐立了记号，免得凡遇见他的，都杀他。

Yēhéhuá duì Gāi yǐn shuō: Fán shā Gāi yǐn de, bì zāo qī bèi bào yìng. Yēhéhuá biàn wèi Gāi yǐn lìle jìhào, miǎn dé fán yùjiàn tā de, dōu shā tā.

The LORD said to him, “Therefore, anyone who kills Cain will suffer seven times as much vengeance.” And the LORD set a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.

1. Vocabulary Breakdown

Chinese Character	Pinyin	Meaning	Grammar Role
耶和華 / 耶和华	Yēhéhuá	LORD (referring to God)	Proper noun
對 / 对	duì	To, towards	Preposition
該隱 / 该隐	Gāi yǐn	Cain (proper noun)	Proper noun
說 / 说	shuō	To say	Verb
凡 / 凡	fán	Whoever	Pronoun
殺 / 杀	shā	Kill	Verb
七倍 / 七倍	qī bèi	Seven times	Numerical phrase
報應 / 报应	bào yìng	Revenge, retribution	Noun
立 / 立	lì	Set, establish	Verb
記號 / 记号	jìhào	Mark, sign	Noun
免得 / 免得	miǎn dé	So that (to prevent)	Conjunction
凡 / 凡	fán	Whoever	Pronoun
遇見 / 遇见	yùjiàn	To meet, encounter	Verb
殺 / 杀	shā	Kill	Verb
他 / 他	tā	Him	Pronoun

2. Grammar Explanation

Sentence Structure:

耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): Refers to “LORD” (God) in Chinese, a direct translation of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton, representing the divine name of God in the Bible.
對 / 对 (duì): Preposition meaning “to,” “towards,” indicating the direction of Cain’s conversation with God.
該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi yǐn): Cain, the proper name of the character in the Bible, transliterated into Chinese.
說 / 说 (shuō): Verb meaning “to say,” indicating that the following words are being spoken by God to Cain.
凡 / 凡 (fán): Pronoun meaning “whoever,” indicating that this statement applies to anyone who kills Cain.
殺 / 杀 (shā): Verb meaning “kill,” indicating the action that is being warned against regarding Cain.
七倍 / 七倍 (qī bèi): Numerical phrase meaning “seven times,” referring to the severity of the vengeance that will befall anyone who kills Cain.
報應 / 报应 (bào yìng): Noun meaning “retribution,” referring to the divine punishment that is part of the natural order of justice in the Bible.
立 / 立 (lì): Verb meaning “set” or “establish,” indicating that God places a mark or sign on Cain for protection.
記號 / 记号 (jìhào): Noun meaning “mark” or “sign,” referring to the symbol that God places on Cain to prevent him from being harmed.
免得 / 免得 (miǎn dé): Conjunction meaning “so that” or “to prevent,” introducing the purpose or reason for setting the mark on Cain.
遇見 / 遇见 (yùjiàn): Verb meaning “to meet” or “encounter,” indicating that anyone who meets Cain will not kill him because of the mark on him.
殺 / 杀 (shā): Verb meaning “kill,” which is the action that Cain fears will be taken against him, but that will not happen due to God’s intervention.
他 / 他 (tā): Pronoun meaning “him,” referring to Cain.

3. Pronunciation Practice

Pinyin: Yēhéhuá duì Gāi yǐn shuō: Fán shā Gāi yǐn de, bì zāo qī bèi bào yìng. Yēhéhuá biàn wèi Gāi yǐn lìle jìhào, miǎn dé fán yùjiàn tā de, dōu shā tā.

Tone Practice:

耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): 1st tone (flat) + 2nd tone (rising) + 1st tone (flat) + 1st tone (flat)
該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi yǐn): 1st tone (flat) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
說 / 说 (shuō): 1st tone (flat)
凡 / 凡 (fán): 2nd tone (rising)
殺 / 杀 (shā): 1st tone (flat)
七倍 / 七倍 (qī bèi): 1st tone (flat) + 4th tone (falling)
報應 / 报应 (bào yìng): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)
立 / 立 (lì): 4th tone (falling)
記號 / 记号 (jìhào): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)
免得 / 免得 (miǎn dé): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 4th tone (falling)
遇見 / 遇见 (yùjiàn): 4th tone (falling) + 4th tone (falling)
殺 / 杀 (shā): 1st tone (flat)
他 / 他 (tā): 1st tone (flat)

4. Character Learning

Key Characters:

該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi yǐn): The name of Cain. This is a proper noun in Chinese, representing the person who committed the first murder in the Bible.
對 / 对 (duì): Preposition meaning “to” or “towards,” indicating the direction of the action, in this case, Cain’s response to God.
耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): The name for God in Chinese, used throughout the Old Testament to refer to the deity who speaks to and judges Cain.
說 / 说 (shuō): Verb meaning “to say,” indicating that the following words are being spoken by God to Cain.
我的 / 我的 (wǒ de): Possessive pronoun meaning “my,” showing that the sin Cain is talking about is his own.
罪過 / 罪过 (zuìguò): Noun meaning “sin,” indicating that Cain acknowledges his wrongdoings.
太大 / 太大 (tài dà): Adjective phrase meaning “too great,” showing Cain’s despair over the enormity of his sin.
無法 / 无法 (wúfǎ): “Unable to” — this is a helpful phrase to remember for expressing limitations. Cain is acknowledging that he cannot bear the punishment, just as we sometimes feel incapable of bearing our burdens.
承擔 / 承担 (chéngdān): “To bear” — this verb emphasizes the weight of responsibility and the emotional and spiritual load Cain must carry. It’s a reminder of how actions come with consequences that we must bear.

5. Cultural Insights

The Theme of Accountability: Cain’s admission that his sin is too great to bear is a powerful reflection of the theme of personal responsibility. In many cultures, the idea that one must face the consequences of their actions is deeply rooted. In Chinese culture, this resonates with the concept of 因果報應 (yīn guǒ bào yìng), meaning “cause and effect,” where one’s actions inevitably lead to consequences. Cain’s recognition of the weight of his sin parallels this idea of inevitable retribution.
Divine Mercy and Justice: Cain’s plea that his sin is too great to bear also touches upon the balance between divine mercy and justice. In Chinese culture, justice and mercy are often seen as two sides of the same coin. The punishment Cain receives is harsh, but it also serves as an opportunity for reflection and growth. This balance between justice and mercy is a central theme in many cultural and religious teachings.
The Burden of Guilt: Cain’s sense of guilt is portrayed through his plea to God. This internal struggle with guilt is a universal experience, reflected in Chinese thought as well. In traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy, guilt and shame are often seen as blockages to personal health and spiritual well-being. Cain’s admission of his sin, and his resulting punishment, can be seen as part of a spiritual cleansing process in many cultural contexts.

6. Mnemonics for Retention

罪過 / 罪过 (zuìguò): Think of this as “too much sin” — “罪” (zuì) means sin, and “過” (guò) implies excess. Cain’s overwhelming sin is too much for him to bear.
太大 / 太大 (tài dà): “Too great” — remember that Cain is saying his sin is too big to handle. “太” (tài) means “too much,” and “大” (dà) means “big,” highlighting the enormity of his guilt.
無法 / 无法 (wúfǎ): “Unable to” — this is a helpful phrase to remember for expressing limitations. Cain is acknowledging that he cannot bear the punishment, just as we sometimes feel incapable of bearing our burdens.
承擔 / 承担 (chéngdān): “To bear” — this verb emphasizes the weight of responsibility and the emotional and spiritual load Cain must carry. It’s a reminder of how actions come with consequences that we must bear.

7. Comparative Studies

Comparison with Hebrew:
- גָּדֹ֥ול עֲוֹנִ֖י (gādōl ʿāwōnî): → 我的罪過太大 (wǒ de zuìguò tài dà): In both versions, Cain acknowledges that his sin is too great to bear. The Hebrew uses “great is my sin,” while the Chinese uses “my sin is too great.”
- מִנְּשֹֽׂא (min-nəsô): → 無法承擔 (wúfǎ chéngdān): In both texts, Cain expresses his inability to handle the weight of his sin. The Hebrew “too great to bear” corresponds closely with the Chinese “unable to bear.”
Comparison with English:
- “My punishment is greater than I can bear” (English) vs. “我的罪過太大，無法承擔 (Chinese)”:
  The English translation emphasizes Cain’s punishment, while the Chinese focuses on the sin itself being too much to bear. Both versions communicate the same core idea of Cain feeling overwhelmed by the consequences of his actions.
Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- The Concept of Excessive Guilt: In Chinese culture, the idea of guilt as an overwhelming emotion is common. This connects with Cain’s experience of guilt being “too great to bear.” In both cultures, the experience of guilt can lead to a sense of despair and the need for redemption or atonement.
- Divine Retribution and Mercy: The idea of divine retribution is balanced by mercy in both the Biblical and Chinese traditions. The theme of receiving punishment for wrongdoing, followed by a chance for redemption, is prevalent in both traditions. The Chinese concept of 因果報應 (yīn guǒ bào yìng) emphasizes that actions have consequences, and Cain’s admission of guilt reflects the inevitability of facing consequences for his wrongdoings.
Chinese Cultural Emphasis on Redemption: The idea of redemption and returning to a state of moral and spiritual balance is crucial in many Chinese teachings. This theme of atonement for Cain’s actions and the mercy shown by God can be likened to the Chinese concept of 悔改 (huǐgǎi), which means “repentance” or “to regret one’s wrongdoings.” In both traditions, there is an opportunity for Cain to reflect on his actions and potentially change his ways, though the punishment remains severe.
The Role of Divine Signs: The marking of Cain to protect him from further harm can be seen as a divine sign or symbol of God’s intervention. In Chinese culture, divinely inspired marks or symbols are often used for protection and guidance, as seen in practices like 風水 (fēng shuǐ) and the use of charms. The concept of God providing a mark for Cain’s protection has parallels in these cultural contexts, where spiritual symbols provide safety and peace.

8. Application

The story of Cain in the Bible serves as a powerful reminder about the consequences of wrongdoing, the importance of personal responsibility, and the possibility of divine intervention. In both Hebrew and Chinese contexts, the themes of justice and mercy, as well as the struggle with guilt, are universal. Cain’s journey from guilt to seeking redemption is reflective of the internal struggles many people face when they are confronted with their own actions.

In modern applications, this story teaches us about taking responsibility for our actions and understanding that every choice has consequences. Just as Cain faced the consequences of his actions, we too must be accountable for the choices we make in life. However, the story also highlights the possibility of divine mercy, and that even in the face of great sin, there is the potential for forgiveness and grace.