| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The proverb employs a Hebrew simile introduced by kamayim {כַּמַּיִם | kammāyim} ‘as water,’ drawing a parallel between a physical reflection and inner disposition. The expression hapanim lapanim {הַפָּנִים לַפָּנִים | happānîm lappānîm} ‘face to face’ uses prepositional repetition to depict the mirroring effect. The adverb ken {כֵּן | kên} ‘so’ functions as the pivot in synonymous parallelism linking the two lines. The construct lev-ha-adam la-adam {לֵב־הָאָדָם לָאָדָם | lēḇ-hā·ʾā·dām lā·ʾā·dām} ‘heart of the man to man’ echoes the face-to-face pattern, emphasizing that the heart reflects the person. The translation preserves Hebrew parallelism and the metaphor of reflection. |