Teshuvah

Repentance as return: turning around on the road, not feeling guilty.

The root shuv means to return. Teshuvah is the act of someone who has realised they are walking the wrong way and retraces their steps — which is why the prophets say “return”, not “feel bad”. The Greek metanoia adds the turning of the mind: changing the way you think and, with it, the route. In both cases what counts is the movement, not the emotion.