וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה לֹֽא־יָדֹ֨ון רוּחִ֤י בָֽאָדָם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ם בְּשַׁגַּ֖ם ה֣וּא בָשָׂ֑ר וְהָי֣וּ יָמָ֔יו מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָֽה׃
耶和華說：「我的靈不會永遠與人同住，因為他是肉體，他的年日將是一百二十年。」
耶和华说：「我的灵不会永远与人同住，因为他是肉体，他的年日将是一百二十年。」
Yēhéhuá shuō: “Wǒ de líng bù huì yǒngyuǎn yǔ rén tóng zhù, yīnwèi tā shì ròutǐ, tā de niánrì jiāng shì yībǎi èrshí nián.”
The LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be one hundred twenty years.”
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 耶和華 / 耶和华 | Yēhéhuá | The LORD (God) | Proper noun |
| 說 / 说 | shuō | To say | Verb |
| 我的 | wǒ de | My | Possessive pronoun |
| 靈 / 灵 | líng | Spirit | Noun |
| 不會 / 不会 | bù huì | Will not | Negative auxiliary verb |
| 永遠 / 永远 | yǒngyuǎn | Forever | Adverb |
| 與 / 与 | yǔ | With | Preposition |
| 人 | rén | Man, human | Noun |
| 同住 | tóng zhù | To dwell together | Verb |
| 因為 / 因为 | yīnwèi | Because | Conjunction |
| 肉體 / 肉体 | ròutǐ | Flesh, mortal body | Noun |
| 年日 | niánrì | Days, lifespan | Noun |
| 將 / 将 | jiāng | Will | Auxiliary verb |
| 一百二十 | yībǎi èrshí | One hundred and twenty | Number |
| 年 | nián | Year | Measure word |
2. Grammar Explanation
- 我的靈 / 我的灵 (wǒ de líng): “My Spirit,” showing possession through the particle “的.”
- 不會永遠 / 不会永远 (bù huì yǒngyuǎn): “Will not forever,” indicating negation of an action or state.
- 與人同住 / 与人同住 (yǔ rén tóng zhù): “To dwell with man,” expressing an action of coexistence.
- 因為 / 因为 (yīnwèi): “Because,” introducing the reason for God’s decision.
- 他的年日將 / 他的年日将 (tā de niánrì jiāng): “His days will,” predicting the lifespan of humans.
3. Pronunciation Practice
- 耶和華 / 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá): [Yē hé huá] – All tones are level and steady.
- 靈 / 灵 (líng): [líng] – Rising tone, pronounced softly.
- 永遠 / 永远 (yǒngyuǎn): [yǒng yuǎn] – “Yǒng” has a falling-rising tone, and “yuǎn” has a falling-rising tone.
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 靈 / 灵 (líng): Spirit, central to the passage as a representation of God’s presence.
- 肉體 / 肉体 (ròutǐ): Flesh, emphasizing human mortality and frailty.
- 永遠 / 永远 (yǒngyuǎn): Forever, marking the concept of divine patience having limits.
5. Cultural Insights
- Concept of Lifespan: In ancient cultures, lifespans often carried symbolic meanings. Limiting human lifespan to 120 years reflects both divine authority and human limitations.
- Spirit and Flesh Dichotomy: The differentiation between spirit and flesh mirrors many philosophical and theological debates about the duality of human existence.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 靈 / 灵 (líng): Recall “spirit” as God’s presence that will not remain with mortal flesh forever.
- 肉體 / 肉体 (ròutǐ): Connect “flesh” with mortality and human limitations.
- 年日 (niánrì): Visualize “lifespan” as the days allotted by divine decree.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew: The Hebrew “לֹֽא־יָדֹ֨ון רוּחִ֤י בָֽאָדָם֙” corresponds to “我的灵不会永远与人同住,” emphasizing the impermanence of divine spirit in humans.
- Comparison with Chinese Philosophy: The concept of the fleeting nature of life resonates with Confucian and Taoist teachings, which emphasize balance and the acceptance of human limitations.
8. Application
This passage reminds us of human mortality and the limits set by divine authority. It encourages humility and the recognition of our dependence on a higher power. In a modern context, it calls for reflection on how we use our limited time and strive for spiritual growth within the constraints of our physical existence.
