The Meaning of Proverbs 27:19 Explained

Proverbs 27:19

KJV: As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

YLT: As in water the face is to face, So the heart of man to man.

Darby: As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

ASV: As in water face answereth to face, So the heart of man to man.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As in water  face  [answereth] to face,  so the heart  of man  to man. 

What does Proverbs 27:19 Mean?

Verse Meaning

If you want to see what your face looks like, look in a placid pool of water. If you want to see what a man is really like, look in his heart. That Isaiah , find out what he loves and values and you will know what kind of person he is. One"s thoughts reflect his or her true character. Jesus taught that what a person says reveals what is in his or her heart ( Matthew 12:34).

Context Summary

Proverbs 27:1-22 - "hearty Counsel"
The keyword in this paragraph is friends, Proverbs 27:6; Proverbs 27:9-10; Proverbs 27:14; Proverbs 27:17; Proverbs 19:1-29. Friends, according to the original sense of the Hebrew word, are those who delight in each other's companionship. Either they are useful to each other because the one possesses gifts that the other lacks, or they have certain tastes in common.
It is in friendship that we get to know ourselves, as a man sees his face in the mirror of calm water, Proverbs 27:19. We unfold to each other; our friend elicits traits of which we were hardly aware. Our sympathy and tenderness are drawn forth by our friend's troubles, as our laughter flashes out to awaken or to answer his high spirits. We shudder to think what cold and undeveloped beings we should be without the sharpening of friendship, Proverbs 27:17. How sweet human friendships are! Proverbs 27:9. Why not find equal confidence and sweetness in the greatest Friend of all? Of course, there is a friendship "which is wholly hypocritical and worthless." Such a friendship is marked by loud and ostentatious demonstration. See Proverbs 27:14. Ponder Christ's offer, John 15:14-15. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 27

1  observations of self love
5  of true love
11  of care to avoid offenses
23  and of the household care

What do the individual words in Proverbs 27:19 mean?

As in water face [reflects] face so heart [reveals] of a man the man
כַּ֭מַּיִם הַפָּנִ֣ים לַפָּנִ֑ים כֵּ֤ן לֵֽב־ הָ֝אָדָ֗ם לָאָדָֽם

כַּ֭מַּיִם  As  in  water 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
הַפָּנִ֣ים  face  [reflects] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
לַפָּנִ֑ים  face 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כֵּ֤ן  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
לֵֽב־  heart  [reveals] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
הָ֝אָדָ֗ם  of  a  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
לָאָדָֽם  the  man 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.

What are the major concepts related to Proverbs 27:19?

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