כִּי֩ לְיָמִ֨ים עֹ֜וד שִׁבְעָ֗ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ מַמְטִ֣יר עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יֹ֔ום וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וּמָחִ֗יתִי אֶֽת־כָּל־הַיְקוּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
因為再過七天，我要降四十晝四十夜的雨在地上，把我所造的一切從地面上消滅。
因为再过七天，我要降四十昼四十夜的雨在地上，把我所造的一切从地面上消灭。
Yīnwèi zàiguò qītiān, wǒ yào jiàng sìshí zhòu sìshí yè de yǔ zài dìshàng, bǎ wǒ suǒ zào de yīqiè cóng dìmiàn shàng xiāomiè.
For in seven days, I will send rain upon the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will blot out every living thing that I have made from the face of the earth.
1. Vocabulary Breakdown
| Chinese Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Grammar Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 因為 / 因为 | yīnwèi | Because | Conjunction |
| 再過 / 再过 | zàiguò | In (time duration) | Adverbial phrase |
| 七天 | qītiān | Seven days | Noun |
| 降 | jiàng | To send down | Verb |
| 四十晝四十夜 / 四十昼四十夜 | sìshí zhòu sìshí yè | Forty days and forty nights | Noun phrase |
| 雨 | yǔ | Rain | Noun |
| 地上 | dìshàng | Earth, ground | Noun |
| 消滅 / 消灭 | xiāomiè | To destroy | Verb |
| 一切 | yīqiè | Everything | Noun |
| 地面上 | dìmiàn shàng | On the ground | Adverbial phrase |
2. Grammar Explanation
- 因為 / 因为 (yīnwèi): Introduces a causal relationship, explaining the reason behind God’s action.
- 四十晝四十夜 / 四十昼四十夜 (sìshí zhòu sìshí yè): A poetic way of emphasizing the completeness and continuity of the rainfall.
- 消滅 / 消灭 (xiāomiè): Indicates complete destruction, emphasizing the gravity of God’s judgment.
3. Pronunciation Practice
- 因為 (yīnwèi): [yīn wèi] – Both syllables have falling tones, pronounced distinctly.
- 七天 (qītiān): [qī tiān] – Both syllables have high-level tones.
- 消灭 (xiāomiè): [xiāo miè] – “Xiāo” has a high-level tone, and “miè” has a falling tone.
4. Character Learning
Key Characters:
- 降 (jiàng): To send down, central to the imagery of rain and judgment in the story.
- 消灭 (xiāomiè): Destruction, a key theme in God’s judgment of the earth.
5. Cultural Insights
- Forty Days and Forty Nights: The number forty often symbolizes testing, judgment, or purification in biblical texts. This resonates with cultural ideas of transformative trials in various traditions.
- Environmental Consequences: This verse underscores the interconnectedness of human sin and the environment, a theme relevant to modern ecological concerns.
6. Mnemonics for Retention
- 四十昼四十夜 (sìshí zhòu sìshí yè): Visualize the relentless rain lasting day and night without pause, symbolizing God’s thorough judgment.
7. Comparative Studies
- Comparison with Hebrew: The Hebrew “אַרְבָּעִ֣ים יֹ֔ום וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה” directly mirrors the Chinese “四十昼四十夜,” maintaining the poetic emphasis on continuity.
- Comparison with English: The English translation “forty days and forty nights” captures the same completeness and intensity found in the Hebrew and Chinese texts.
8. Application
This verse reminds readers of the gravity of sin and its consequences. The forty days and nights of rain symbolize both judgment and the opportunity for renewal. In a modern context, it serves as a call to reflect on our actions and their impact on the environment and others, encouraging stewardship, accountability, and the pursuit of righteousness.
