Proverbs 16:27 (LSB)

Passage

A vile man digs up evil, And the words on his lips are like scorching fire.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Proverbs 16:26 A worker’s appetite works for him, For his mouth urges him on.

Proverbs 16:27 A vile man digs up evil, And the words on his lips are like scorching fire.

Proverbs 16:28 A perverse man spreads strife, And a whisperer separates close companions.

Proverbs 16:29 A man of violence entices his neighbor And leads him in a way that is not good.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "vile", "digs", "evil", "words", "lips", "like", "scorching", and "fire". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "vile" and "digs", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 26's "A worker s appetite works for him..." into verse 28's "A perverse man spreads strife And a...", so "vile" and "digs" 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 "vile" and "digs" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.