Proverbs 16:27 (GNV)

Passage

A wicked man diggeth vp euill, and in his lippes is like burning fire.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right vnto man: but the issue thereof are the wayes of death.

Proverbs 16:26 The person that traueileth, traueileth for himselfe: for his mouth craueth it of him.

Proverbs 16:27 A wicked man diggeth vp euill, and in his lippes is like burning fire.

Proverbs 16:28 A frowarde person soweth strife: and a tale teller maketh diuision among princes.

Proverbs 16:29 A wicked man deceiueth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wicked", "diggeth", "euill", "lippes", "like", "burning", and "fire". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wicked" and "diggeth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 26's "The person that traueileth traueileth for himselfe..." into verse 28's "A frowarde person soweth strife and a...", so "wicked" and "diggeth" 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 "wicked" and "diggeth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.