Proverbs 27:19 (GNV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Proverbs 27:17 Yron sharpeneth yron, so doeth man sharpen the face of his friend.

Proverbs 27:18 He that keepeth the fig tree, shall eate the fruite thereof: so he that waiteth vpon his master, shall come to honour.

Proverbs 27:19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

Proverbs 27:20 The graue and destruction can neuer be full, so the eyes of man can neuer be satisfied.

Proverbs 27:21 As is the fining pot for siluer and the fornace for golde, so is euery man according to his dignitie.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "water", "face", "answereth", and "heart". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "water" and "face", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 18's "He that keepeth the fig tree shall..." into verse 20's "The graue and destruction can neuer be...", so "water" and "face" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "water" and "face" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.