וַֽיְהִ֖י מִקֵּ֣ץ יָמִ֑ים וַיָּבֵ֨א קַ֜יִן מִפְּרִ֧י הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃
過了些日子，該隱從地裡的土產拿出禮物獻給耶和華。
过了些日子，该隐从地里的土产拿出礼物献给耶和华。
Guòle xiē rìzi, Gāi Yǐn cóng dì lǐ de tǔchǎn ná chū lǐwù xiàng gěi Yēhéhuá.
And it came to pass after a while, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 過了 / 过了 | guòle | Passed / After | Verb |
| 些 | xiē | Some / A few | Pronoun |
| 日子 | rìzi | Days / Time | Noun |
| 該隱 / 该隐 | Gāi Yǐn | Cain | Proper noun |
| 從 / 从 | cóng | From | Preposition |
| 地裡 / 地里 | dì lǐ | From the ground / Earth | Phrase |
| 土產 / 土产 | tǔchǎn | Produce of the earth | Noun |
| 拿出 | ná chū | Take out | Verb |
| 禮物 / 礼物 | lǐwù | Gift / Offering | Noun |
| 獻給 / 献给 | xiàng gěi | To offer / To give | Verb |
| 耶和華 / 耶和华 | Yēhéhuá | The LORD (YHWH) | Proper noun |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 過了些日子 (Guòle xiē rìzi): This phrase indicates the passage of time with “過了” (guòle) meaning “passed” and “些日子” (xiē rìzi) meaning “some days.” It implies a period of time passing after previous events.
- 該隱從地裡的土產拿出禮物 (Gāi Yǐn cóng dì lǐ de tǔchǎn ná chū lǐwù): This clause describes Cain taking produce from the ground as an offering. The structure uses “從” (cóng) to indicate origin, “拿出” (ná chū) meaning “to take out,” and “禮物” (lǐwù) as the offering.
- 獻給耶和華 (Xiàng gěi Yēhéhuá): “To offer to the LORD” is described with the verb “獻給” (xiàng gěi), meaning “to offer,” followed by “耶和華” (Yēhéhuá), the proper noun for God.
Key Grammar Points:
- 過了 / 过了 (guòle): The past tense of the verb “過” (guò), indicating that time has passed.
- 從 / 从 (cóng): A preposition meaning “from,” used to show the source of Cain’s offering (the earth).
- 拿出 (ná chū): A verb meaning “to take out,” used to describe Cain’s action of bringing an offering.
- 禮物 / 礼物 (lǐwù): A noun meaning “gift” or “offering,” representing Cain’s act of presenting something to the LORD.
- 獻給 / 献给 (xiàng gěi): To offer or present to, indicating the action of giving the gift to the LORD.
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Guòle xiē rìzi, Gāi Yǐn cóng dì lǐ de tǔchǎn ná chū lǐwù xiàng gěi Yēhéhuá.
Tone Practice:
- 過了 / 过了 (guòle): 4th tone (falling) + neutral tone
- 些 (xiē): 1st tone (flat)
- 日子 (rìzi): 4th tone (falling) + neutral tone
- 該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi Yǐn): 1st tone (flat) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 從 / 从 (cóng): 2nd tone (rising)
- 地裡 / 地里 (dì lǐ): 4th tone (falling) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 土產 / 土产 (tǔchǎn): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 拿出 (ná chū): 2nd tone (rising) + 1st tone (flat)
- 禮物 / 礼物 (lǐwù): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 4th tone (falling)
- 獻給 / 献给 (xiàng gěi): 4th tone (falling) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): 1st tone (flat) + 2nd tone (rising) + 1st tone (flat)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 過了 / 过了 (guòle): A verb indicating that time has passed. Often used to show that something has occurred after a period of time.
- 從 / 从 (cóng): A preposition meaning “from,” used to indicate the source of something. Here it shows that Cain brought his offering from the ground.
- 土產 / 土产 (tǔchǎn): “Produce of the earth,” meaning the products that come from the ground, used to describe Cain’s offering.
- 禮物 / 礼物 (lǐwù): “Gift” or “offering,” representing the object Cain is presenting to the LORD. It’s the same character used for “gift” in various contexts.
- 獻給 / 献给 (xiàng gěi): A verb phrase meaning “to offer to” or “to give to,” indicating the act of giving the offering to God.
- 耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): The personal name of God in the Bible, used here to indicate the one to whom Cain is offering his gift.
5. Cultural Insights
- Offering and Sacrifice in Chinese Culture: In Chinese tradition, offering gifts to gods or ancestors is a significant practice. It’s seen as a way of honoring the divine and maintaining a good relationship with spiritual entities. Similarly, Cain’s offering to God symbolizes his acknowledgment of divine power and a way to maintain a connection with the Creator.
- Concept of Time: The phrase “過了些日子” (guòle xiē rìzi) reflects the passage of time, an essential concept in both Biblical and Chinese contexts. In Chinese culture, the importance of time and seasons plays a crucial role in agricultural life and rituals, similar to the importance of timing in Cain’s offering.
- Divine Expectation of Offerings: In both the Biblical and Chinese cultural contexts, offerings are not just gifts, but a sign of respect and reverence. Cain’s offering of the fruit of the ground reflects this cultural practice of presenting gifts to honor God, similar to offerings made in Chinese temples to show gratitude and seek favor from ancestors or deities.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 過了 / 过了 (guòle): Think of this word as marking the passage of time—“passed time” or “after time.” You can imagine Cain waiting until the right moment to present his offering.
- 從 / 从 (cóng): Imagine the offering “coming from” the ground, emphasizing that Cain’s gift originates from the earth, just as the verb “從” (cóng) indicates movement from a source.
- 禮物 / 礼物 (lǐwù): The word “礼物” (lǐwù) means “gift” or “offering,” which is easily remembered because it’s related to “礼” (lǐ) meaning “ceremony” or “ritual,” reinforcing the idea of giving something meaningful in a ceremonial way.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַֽיְהִי מִקֵּ֣ץ יָמִ֑ים (Vayehi Miqetz Yamim): → 過了些日子 (Guòle xiē rìzi): Both phrases describe the passing of time, with the Hebrew version using “מקץ ימים” (after a while) and the Chinese using “過了些日子” (after some days).
- וַיָּבֵ֨א קַ֜יִן (Vayaveh Kayin): → 該隱從 (Gāi Yǐn cóng): Both describe Cain’s action of bringing something. The Chinese uses “從” (from) to show the origin of Cain’s offering.
- מִפְּרִ֧י הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה (MiP’ri HaAdamah): → 地裡的土產 (Dì lǐ de tǔchǎn): “From the fruit of the ground” is reflected in the Chinese phrase, which also highlights the origin of Cain’s offering from the earth.
- מִנְחָ֖ה לַֽיהוָֽה (Minchah LaYHWH): → 拿出禮物獻給耶和華 (Ná chū lǐwù xiàng gěi Yēhéhuá): Both express Cain offering a gift to the LORD, with the Chinese focusing on the action of offering (“獻給” / xiàng gěi).
- Comparison with English:
- “And it came to pass after a while, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.” corresponds to 過了些日子，該隱從地裡的土產拿出禮物獻給耶和華 (Guòle xiē rìzi, Gāi Yǐn cóng dì lǐ de tǔchǎn ná chū lǐwù xiàng gěi Yēhéhuá): The meaning is consistent in both languages, with Cain presenting an offering from the ground to God.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- Offering and Sacrifice: In both the Bible and Chinese culture, offerings are seen as a way to honor the divine. In Chinese rituals, offerings are often made to ancestors or gods as a way of showing respect and seeking favor, much like Cain’s offering to the LORD.
- Time and Ritual: The passage of time in the phrase “過了些日子” (guòle xiē rìzi) reflects the importance of waiting for the right moment, which is a concept seen in Chinese traditions where timing is crucial for making offerings or conducting rituals.
