Proverbs 27:19

Proverbs 27:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.
• New International Version (NIV)As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.
• English Standard Version (ESV)As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.
• New King James Version (NKJV)As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man.

Context of Proverbs 27:19

17As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. 18As workers who tend a fig tree are allowed to eat the fruit, so workers who protect their employer’s interests will be rewarded. As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person. 20Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied. 21Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.

Proverbs 27:19 word by word

כַּ֭מַּיִם הַפָּנִ֣ים לַפָּנִ֑ים כֵּ֤ן לֵֽב־הָ֝אָדָ֗ם לָאָדָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• As in waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• so the heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120

Cross-references for Proverbs 27:19

• James 1:22But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
• Genesis 6:5The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.
• Psalms 33:15He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do.
• Mark 7:21For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder,

Commentaries on Proverbs 27:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19As in water face answereth to face - All men's hearts are pretty nearly alike; water is not more like to water, than one heart is to another. Or, as a man sees his face perfectly reflected by the water, when looking into it; so the wise and penetrating man sees generally what is in the heart of another by considering the general tenor of his words and actions. "Surely, if each man saw another's heart There would be no commerce; All would disperse, And…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19As we see our own face when we look on the mirror-like surface of the water, so in every heart of man we may see our own likeness. In spite of all diversities we come upon the common human nature in which we all alike share. Others see in the reference to the reflection in the water the thought that we judge of others by ourselves, find them faithful or the reverse, as we ourselves are.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19Verse 19 One corrupt heart is like another; so are sanctified hearts: the former bear the same image of the earthly, the latter the same image of the heavenly. Let us carefully watch our own hearts, comparing them with the word of God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. We may see our characters in the developed tempers of others.Read the comment

Topics related to Proverbs 27:19

• Friendship

In the dictionaries

• Answer
• Boast
• Bray
• Contentious
• Look
• Soul
• Wrath
• Hezekiah (2)
• Proverbs, the Book of

Commentaries on Proverbs 27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings