וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּהְיֹותָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃
該隱對他的兄弟亞伯說，他們在田野裡的時候，該隱起來打殺了亞伯。
该隐对他的兄弟亚伯说，他们在田野里的时候，该隐起来打杀了亚伯。
Gāi Yǐn duì tā de xiōngdì Yàbó shuō, tāmen zài tiányě lǐ de shíhòu, Gāi Yǐn qǐlái dǎ shā le Yàbó.
Cain said to Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked Abel and killed him.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 該隱 / 该隐 | Gāi Yǐn | Cain | Proper noun |
| 對 / 对 | duì | To, towards | Preposition |
| 兄弟 | xiōngdì | Brother | Noun |
| 說 / 说 | shuō | To say | Verb |
| 田野 | tiányě | Field | Noun |
| 起來 / 起来 | qǐlái | To rise, to stand up | Verb phrase |
| 打 | dǎ | To strike, to hit | Verb |
| 殺 / 杀 | shā | To kill | Verb |
| 了 | le | Indicates completion of an action | Particle |
2. Grammar Explanation
Sentence Structure:
- 該隱對他的兄弟亞伯說 (Gāi Yǐn duì tā de xiōngdì Yàbó shuō): The phrase “對…說” (duì… shuō) is used to mean “said to.” “對” (duì) means “to,” and “說” (shuō) means “to say.” Cain is speaking to Abel.
- 他們在田野裡的時候 (tāmen zài tiányě lǐ de shíhòu): This phrase means “while they were in the field.” “他們” (tāmen) means “they,” “在” (zài) means “in,” “田野” (tiányě) means “field,” and “的時候” (de shíhòu) means “when.”
- 起來打殺了 (qǐlái dǎ shā le): “起來” (qǐlái) means “to rise,” “打” (dǎ) means “to hit,” and “殺了” (shā le) means “killed.” This phrase describes Cain attacking and killing Abel.
Key Grammar Points:
- 對 / 对 (duì): A preposition meaning “to,” indicating the direction of Cain’s speech toward Abel.
- 說 / 说 (shuō): A verb meaning “to say,” showing that Cain is speaking to Abel.
- 田野 / 田野 (tiányě): A noun meaning “field,” where Cain and Abel are during the event described in the passage.
- 起來 / 起来 (qǐlái): A verb meaning “to rise” or “to stand up,” indicating Cain’s action of rising to commit the act of violence.
- 打 / 打 (dǎ): A verb meaning “to strike” or “to hit,” which describes the action of Cain toward Abel.
- 殺 / 杀 (shā): A verb meaning “to kill,” showing the violent nature of the act committed by Cain.
- 了 (le): A particle indicating the completion of an action, showing that Cain’s action of killing Abel is completed.
3. Pronunciation Practice
Pinyin: Gāi Yǐn duì tā de xiōngdì Yàbó shuō, tāmen zài tiányě lǐ de shíhòu, Gāi Yǐn qǐlái dǎ shā le Yàbó.
Tone Practice:
- 該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi Yǐn): 1st tone (flat) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 對 / 对 (duì): 4th tone (falling)
- 兄弟 / 兄弟 (xiōngdì): 1st tone (flat) + 4th tone (falling)
- 說 / 说 (shuō): 1st tone (flat)
- 田野 / 田野 (tiányě): 2nd tone (rising) + 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 起來 / 起来 (qǐlái): 3rd tone (falling-rising) + 2nd tone (rising)
- 打 / 打 (dǎ): 3rd tone (falling-rising)
- 殺 / 杀 (shā): 1st tone (flat)
- 了 / 了 (le): neutral tone (unstressed)
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi Yǐn): Proper noun, the name “Cain,” the first son of Adam and Eve, who killed his brother Abel.
- 對 / 对 (duì): Preposition meaning “to,” showing the direction of Cain’s speech.
- 兄弟 / 兄弟 (xiōngdì): Noun meaning “brother,” referring to Abel, Cain’s sibling.
- 說 / 说 (shuō): Verb meaning “to say,” indicating that Cain is speaking to Abel.
- 田野 / 田野 (tiányě): Noun meaning “field,” the place where Cain and Abel were when the event took place.
- 起來 / 起来 (qǐlái): Verb meaning “to rise” or “to stand up,” indicating Cain’s action of rising to attack Abel.
- 打 / 打 (dǎ): Verb meaning “to strike” or “to hit,” which describes the violent action of Cain against Abel.
- 殺 / 杀 (shā): Verb meaning “to kill,” representing Cain’s action of killing Abel.
- 了 / 了 (le): Particle used to indicate completion of an action, showing that Cain’s act of killing Abel was completed.
5. Cultural Insights
- Concept of Choice and Consequences: Just like Cain’s action of killing Abel was a choice with severe consequences, in Chinese culture, the idea of moral choices and their consequences is deeply embedded in traditions. For instance, the principle of 因果報應 (yīn guǒ bào yìng), meaning “cause and effect” or “karma,” reflects how actions lead to inevitable outcomes.
- Conflict Between Brothers: The relationship between Cain and Abel reflects a common theme in many cultures, including Chinese, where sibling rivalry and conflict are explored. Chinese literature often highlights the moral implications of such conflicts and how they shape the characters involved.
- Divine Judgement: In the Bible, God’s response to Cain’s actions involves both confrontation and judgment. Similarly, in Chinese culture, divine or ancestor figures often offer guidance and reprimand for wrongdoing, emphasizing the importance of moral alignment with cosmic order.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 該隱 / 该隐 (Gāi Yǐn): To remember Cain’s name, think of the “Gāi” sound as representing “guilt,” and “Yǐn” as representing “yielding” to temptation.
- 對 / 对 (duì): Think of “duì” as meaning “toward” or “to,” helping you recall how Cain addresses Abel directly.
- 起來 / 起来 (qǐlái): Remember “qǐlái” as a rising action—Cain rises from his position to commit a violent act.
- 打 / 打 (dǎ): Think of “打” as a quick and forceful strike, just as Cain struck Abel in his fit of jealousy.
- 殺 / 杀 (shā): The word “shā” can be remembered as the final act of Cain’s anger, leading to his brother’s death.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew:
- וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל (Vayomer Kayin el-Hevel): → 該隱對他的兄弟亞伯說 (Gāi Yǐn duì tā de xiōngdì Yàbó shuō): Both the Hebrew and Chinese describe Cain speaking to Abel. The verb “וַיֹּ֥אמֶר” (Vayomer) meaning “And he said” is reflected in the Chinese “說” (shuō) meaning “to say.”
- וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל (Vayakam Kayin el-Hevel): → 該隱起來打 (Gāi Yǐn qǐlái dǎ): Both languages describe Cain’s action of rising to act violently against Abel.
- וַיַּהַרְגֵւהוּ (Vayaharegahu): → 打殺了亞伯 (dǎ shā le Yàbó): The action of Cain killing Abel is expressed in both languages, with the Hebrew verb “וַיַּהַרְגֵւהוּ” (Vayaharegahu) meaning “and he killed him” and the Chinese “打殺了” (dǎ shā le) meaning “hit and killed.”
- Comparison with English:
- “And Cain said to Abel, ‘Let us go out to the field.’ And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, and killed him.” corresponds to 該隱對他的兄弟亞伯說，他們在田野裡的時候，該隱起來打殺了亞伯 (Gāi Yǐn duì tā de xiōngdì Yàbó shuō, tāmen zài tiányě lǐ de shíhòu, Gāi Yǐn qǐlái dǎ shā le Yàbó): Both passages describe Cain’s invitation to Abel and the violent outcome.
- Comparison with Chinese Cultural Concepts:
- Justice and Retribution: In both the Bible and Chinese traditions, acts of violence or wrongdoing have consequences. Cain’s act of violence against Abel is met with divine judgment, which parallels the Chinese concept of 因果報應 (yīn guǒ bào yìng), where bad actions lead to bad outcomes.
- Sibling Rivalry: Cain’s murder of Abel reflects sibling rivalry, a theme explored in Chinese literature as well. Conflicts between siblings are often used to explore deeper themes of jealousy, competition, and family dynamics in both Biblical and Chinese traditions.
