↶ Graded Readers

King Benjamin's Last Speech

↶ HSK 2 reading practice

King Benjamin's Last Speech

很久以前hěn jiǔ yǐ qián,有yǒu一个yī ge好hǎo国王guó wáng,叫jiào便雅悯biàn yǎ mǐn王wáng。

A long time ago, there was a good king named King Benjamin.

他tā也是yě shì神shén的de先知xiān zhī。

He was also a prophet of God.

他tā不要bù yào人民rén mín的de钱qián,自己zì jǐ工作gōng zuò。

He did not take the people's money; he worked himself.

人民rén mín都dōu很hěn爱ài他tā。

The people all loved him.

便雅悯biàn yǎ mǐn王wáng老了lǎo le。

King Benjamin grew old.

他tā想xiǎng最后zuì hòu一次yī cì告诉gào sù人民rén mín神shén的话de huà。

He wanted to tell the people God's words one last time.

他tā请qǐng所有suǒ yǒu的de人rén来lái圣殿shèng diàn前面qián miàn。

He asked all the people to come to the front of the temple.

很多hěn duō家庭jiā tíng都dōu来了lái le,人rén非常多fēi cháng duō。

Many families came, and there were very many people.

人rén太多tài duō了le,国王guó wáng就jiù站在zhàn zài高gāo的de地方dì fāng说话shuō huà。

There were too many people, so the king stood in a high place to speak.

便雅悯biàn yǎ mǐn王wáng说shuō:“我wǒ做zuò你们nǐ men的de国王guó wáng,也yě常常cháng cháng帮助bāng zhù你们nǐ men。”

King Benjamin said, "I am your king, and I have often helped you."

“可是kě shì你们nǐ men不用bù yòng感谢gǎn xiè我wǒ,你们nǐ men要yào感谢gǎn xiè神shén。”

"But you do not need to thank me; you should thank God."

“你们nǐ men帮助bāng zhù别人bié ren的de时候shí hou,就是jiù shì在zài帮助bāng zhù神shén。”

"When you help others, you are helping God."

“神shén给gěi了le我们wǒ men很多hěn duō,所以suǒ yǐ我们wǒ men也yě要yào爱ài别人bié ren。”

"God has given us so much, so we must also love others."

人民rén mín听了tīng le这些zhè xiē话huà,他们tā men的de心xīn变biàn了le。

The people heard these words, and their hearts were changed.

他们tā men说shuō:“我们wǒ men相信xiāng xìn神shén,我们wǒ men要yào听tīng神shén的话de huà。”

They said, "We believe in God, and we will listen to His words."

“我们wǒ men也yě要yào帮助bāng zhù别人bié ren。”

"We will help others too."

便雅悯biàn yǎ mǐn王wáng非常fēi cháng高兴gāo xìng。

King Benjamin was very happy.

从cóng那天nà tiān起qǐ,人民rén mín更gèng爱神ài shén,也yě更gèng爱ài别人bié ren。

From that day on, the people loved God more, and loved others more too.

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Vocabulary 77 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
很久以前 hěn jiǔ yǐ qiánA long time ago
有 yǒuto have; there is, there are
一个 yī gea; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
好 hǎogood
国王 guó wángking; monarch
叫 jiàoto call; to be called
便雅悯 biàn yǎ mǐnBenjamin (Biblical and Book of Mormon name); King Benjamin (Book of Mormon prophet-king)
王 wángking; monarch
他 tāhe; him
也是 yě shìalso is/are; likewise; that’s true as well
神 shéndivine; deity; miraculous; extraordinary
的 depossessive particle
先知 xiān zhīa person of foresight; (religion) a prophet
不要 bù yàodon't; must not
人民 rén mínthe people
钱 qiánmoney
自己 zì jǐoneself; one's own
工作 gōng zuòto work; job
都 dōuall; both
很 hěnvery
爱 àito love; to like
老了 lǎo legot old
想 xiǎngto think; to want
最后 zuì hòufinal; last; finally
一次 yī cìfirst; first time; once; (math.) linear (of degree one)
告诉 gào sùto tell
的话 de huàif (used after a condition)
请 qǐngplease; to invite
所有 suǒ yǒuall; every
人 rénperson; people
来 láito come; to arrive
圣殿 shèng diàntemple
前面 qián miànin front
很多 hěn duōMany; a lot
家庭 jiā tíngfamily; household
来了 lái lehas come; arrived
非常多 fēi cháng duōmuch; very many
太多 tài duōtoo much; too many
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
就 jiùthen; just; precisely
站在 zhàn zàito stand at/on; to be standing (somewhere)
高 gāotall; high; surname Gao
地方 dì fāngplace
说话 shuō huàto speak; to talk
说 shuōto speak; to say
我 wǒI; me
做 zuòto do; to make
你们 nǐ menyou (plural)
也 yěalso
常常 cháng chángfrequently; often
帮助 bāng zhùto help; assistance
可是 kě shìbut; however
不用 bù yòngdon't need to
感谢 gǎn xiè(express) thanks; gratitude; grateful; thankful; thanks
要 yàoto want; will
别人 bié renother people; others
时候 shí houtime; when
就是 jiù shìexactly; simply
在 zàito be (located); at; in
给 gěito give; for, to (sb)
我们 wǒ menwe; us
所以 suǒ yǐtherefore; so
听了 tīng lelistened; heard
这些 zhè xiēthese
话 huàspeech; words
他们 tā menthey
心 xīnheart; mind; center; core
变 biànto change; to transform
相信 xiāng xìnto believe; to trust
听 tīngto listen; to hear
非常 fēi chángvery; extremely
高兴 gāo xìnghappy
从 cóngfrom
那天 nà tiānthat day; the other day
起 qǐto get up; to rise; up (after a verb); starting from (从…起)
更 gèngmore; even more; further; still; additionally
爱神 ài shéngod of love