Genesis 4:23

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לֶ֜מֶךְ לְנָשָׁ֗יו עָדָ֤ה וְצִלָּה֙ שְׁמַ֣עַן קֹולִ֔י נְשֵׁ֣י לֶ֔מֶךְ הַאְזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ הָרַ֨גְתִּי֙ לְפִצְעִ֔י וְיֶ֖לֶד לְחַבֻּרָתִֽי׃

勒梅赫对他的妻子们说：“亚大和西拉，请听我的声音，勒梅赫的妻子们，听我话！因为我为我的伤害杀了一个人，为我的创伤杀了一个孩子。”

勒梅赫对他的妻子们说：“亚大和西拉，请听我的声音，勒梅赫的妻子们，听我话！因为我为我的伤害杀了一个人，为我的创伤杀了一个孩子。”

Lèméihè duì tā de qīzi men shuō: “Yàdā hé Xīlā, qǐng tīng wǒ de shēngyīn, Lèméihè de qīzi men, tīng wǒ huà! Yīnwèi wǒ wèi wǒ de shānghài shāle yī gè rén, wèi wǒ de chuāngshāng shāle yī gè háizi.”

And Lamech said to his wives, “Ada and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my saying: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.”

1. Vocabulary Breakdown

Chinese Character	Pinyin	Meaning	Grammar Role
勒梅赫 / 勒梅赫	Lèméihè	Lamech (proper noun)	Proper noun
对 / 对	duì	To, towards (preposition)	Preposition
他的 / 他的	tā de	His (possessive pronoun)	Pronoun
妻子 / 妻子	qīzi	Wife	Noun
们 / 们	men	Plural marker	Particle
说 / 说	shuō	Say	Verb
亚大 / 亚大	Yàdā	Ada (proper noun)	Proper noun
和 / 和	hé	And	Conjunction
西拉 / 西拉	Xīlā	Zillah (proper noun)	Proper noun
请 / 请	qǐng	Please	Verb
听 / 听	tīng	Listen	Verb
我的 / 我的	wǒ de	My	Pronoun
声音 / 声音	shēngyīn	Voice	Noun
话 / 话	huà	Words, saying	Noun
因为 / 因为	yīnwèi	Because	Conjunction
我 / 我	wǒ	I	Pronoun
为 / 为	wèi	For	Preposition
我的 / 我的	wǒ de	My	Pronoun
伤害 / 伤害	shānghài	Hurt, harm	Noun
杀 / 杀	shā	Kill	Verb
了 / 了	le	Indicates completed action	Particle
一个 / 一个	yī gè	A, one (measure word)	Measure word
人 / 人	rén	Person	Noun
创伤 / 创伤	chuāngshāng	Injury, wound	Noun
孩子 / 孩子	háizi	Child	Noun

2. Grammar Explanation

Sentence Structure:

• 勒梅赫 / 勒梅赫 (Lèméihè): Proper noun, the name of Lamech, a key character in the genealogy.
• 对 / 对 (duì): Preposition indicating that Lamech is speaking “to” his wives.
• 他的 / 他的 (tā de): Possessive pronoun, meaning “his” referring to Lamech’s wives.
• 妻子 / 妻子 (qīzi): Noun meaning “wife,” the women Lamech is addressing.
• 说 / 说 (shuō): Verb “to speak,” marking the action of Lamech speaking to his wives.
• 请 / 请 (qǐng): Verb “to ask, request,” used here to politely ask his wives to listen to him.
• 听 / 听 (tīng): Verb “to listen,” indicating the action Lamech is asking of his wives.
• 我的 / 我的 (wǒ de): Possessive pronoun, meaning “my,” referring to Lamech’s own words or message.
• 声音 / 声音 (shēngyīn): Noun meaning “voice,” referring to Lamech’s voice or speech.
• 话 / 话 (huà): Noun meaning “words,” referring to the message Lamech is conveying.
• 因为 / 因为 (yīnwèi): Conjunction meaning “because,” used to introduce the reason for Lamech’s statement.
• 我 / 我 (wǒ): Pronoun meaning “I,” referring to Lamech himself.
• 为 / 为 (wèi): Preposition meaning “for,” introducing the reason Lamech killed the person (for his injury).
• 伤害 / 伤害 (shānghài): Noun meaning “injury” or “harm,” indicating the reason Lamech killed someone.
• 杀 / 杀 (shā): Verb meaning “to kill,” describing Lamech’s action.
• 孩子 / 孩子 (háizi): Noun meaning “child,” indicating the victim in Lamech’s actions.
• 了 / 了 (le): Particle indicating the completion of the action, marking the past action of Lamech killing.

3. Pronunciation Practice

Pronunciation of Key Phrases:

• 勒梅赫 / 勒梅赫 (Lèméihè): [lè méi hè] – Pay attention to the rising tone in “méi” and the falling tone in “hè.”
• 妻子 / 妻子 (qīzi): [qī zǐ] – The first syllable “qī” has a high, level tone, while the second syllable “zǐ” is pronounced with a low, rising tone.
• 说 / 说 (shuō): [shuō] – The tone here is a high, level tone, and it should be spoken clearly.
• 听 / 听 (tīng): [tīng] – The tone is high and level, so maintain a steady, even pitch.
• 伤害 / 伤害 (shānghài): [shāng hài] – The first syllable “shāng” is high and level, while the second “hài” has a sharp falling tone.
• 孩子 / 孩子 (háizi): [hái zi] – “Hái” has a rising tone, while “zi” is pronounced with a neutral tone.
• 伤害 / 伤害 (shānghài): [shāng hài] – The pronunciation of the second character “hài” should be quick and sharp with a falling tone.

4. Character Learning

Key Characters:

• 勒梅赫 / 勒梅赫 (Lèméihè): Lamech, the key figure in this passage, is the father of Tubal-cain and is noted for his violent statement about killing a man.
• 妻子 / 妻子 (qīzi): Refers to Lamech’s wives, who are the recipients of his words and a significant part of his family structure.
• 说 / 说 (shuō): A verb meaning “to say” or “to speak,” essential in this context where Lamech is addressing his wives.
• 听 / 听 (tīng): A verb meaning “to listen,” which reflects the act that Lamech asks of his wives in this passage.
• 伤害 / 伤害 (shānghài): A noun meaning “injury,” which justifies Lamech’s action of killing someone.
• 孩子 / 孩子 (háizi): A noun meaning “child,” indicating the person who was killed by Lamech.

5. Cultural Insights

• The Concept of Justice and Retribution: In this passage, Lamech’s justification for killing a man reflects ancient attitudes toward justice and retribution. This is mirrored in both biblical and Chinese cultures, where revenge and justice were often seen as matters of personal responsibility. The concept of “an eye for an eye” has roots in both the Bible and Chinese historical legal practices, where punishments for crimes were seen as necessary to restore balance.
• The Importance of Family and Lineage: Lamech’s statement about his action of killing for personal injury is significant because it is addressed to his wives. This reinforces the biblical view of the family as a central unit of social and moral order. Similarly, in Chinese culture, the family unit plays a central role in maintaining societal order, with the actions of one member often reflecting upon the whole family.
• Revenge and Violence in Ancient Cultures: Lamech’s desire for revenge represents the early stages of human conflict and violence. In many ancient societies, including Chinese culture, revenge for personal harm was seen as a natural and sometimes necessary response, though it also carried consequences. The cycle of vengeance, as seen here, can be interpreted as a commentary on the dangers of unchecked violence in society.

6. Mnemonics for Retention

• 勒梅赫 / 勒梅赫 (Lèméihè): “Lèméihè” can be remembered as the man who speaks about revenge and justice.
• 伤害 / 伤害 (shānghài): “Shānghài” can be remembered as the reason for Lamech’s violent act—he was harmed, and in turn, harmed someone else.
• 孩子 / 孩子 (háizi): “Háizi” can be remembered as the victim of Lamech’s violence, a child who is killed as part of a larger cycle of vengeance.
• 说 / 说 (shuō): “Shuō” can be remembered as the verb for “to speak,” as Lamech is making a public declaration to his wives.
• 听 / 听 (tīng): “Tīng” can be remembered as the action that Lamech demands from his wives—they must listen to his explanation of why he killed someone.

7. Comparative Studies

• Comparison with Hebrew:
  • וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לֶ֜מֶךְ לְנָשָׁ֗יו עָדָ֤ה וְצִלָּה֙ שְׁמַ֣עַן קֹולִ֔י נְשֵׁ֣י לֶ֔מֶךְ הַאְזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י: → 勒梅赫对他的妻子们说：“亚大和西拉，请听我的声音，勒梅赫的妻子们，听我话！” The Chinese translation directly follows the structure of the Hebrew text, maintaining the focus on Lamech’s address to his wives.
• Comparison with Chinese:
  • The Role of Communication and Family Authority: Just as Lamech speaks directly to his wives in the Bible, in Chinese culture, the head of the family often has the final say on matters of great importance, often addressing family members with a tone of authority. This reflects the centrality of family communication in both biblical and Chinese traditions.

8. Application

This passage of Lamech’s speech to his wives serves as an expression of personal justification, a key concept in both the Bible and various cultural traditions. In the Bible, Lamech’s declaration reflects the belief that retribution for personal wrongs was seen as both justifiable and necessary. The passage encourages reflection on the consequences of violence, especially when passed down through generations. In Chinese culture, the concept of family honor and responsibility plays a significant role in justifying actions that may seem violent or retaliatory. This connection between justice, family, and legacy serves as a reminder that actions often carry cultural weight and are not just personal decisions but social ones as well.

By comparing Lamech’s words with cultural practices in China, we see a broader application: that human beings, across cultures and time periods, have often sought to explain and justify their actions within a context of personal injury and defense. This passage invites us to reflect on the cycles of violence that can perpetuate in families and societies when justice is sought outside of peaceful resolution and understanding.