A worthless man deviseth mischief; And in his lips there is as a scorching fire.
ungodly man--(Compare Pro 6:12). diggeth up evil--labors for it. in his lips . . . fire--His words are calumniating (Jam 3:6).
There are those that are not only vicious themselves, but spiteful and mischievous to others, and they are the worst of men; two sorts of such are here described: - 1. Such as envy a man the honour of his good name, and do all they can to blast that by calumnies and misrepresentations: They dig up evil; they take a great deal of pains...
Commenting on Proverbs 16:27-28
Pro 16:27 27 A worthless man diggeth evil; And on his lips is, as it were, scorching fire. Regarding אישׁ בּליּעל, vid., Pro 6:12, and regarding כּרה, to dig round, or to bore out, vid., at Gen 49:5; Gen 50:5; here the figure, “to dig for others a pit,” Pro 26:27, Psa 7:16, etc.: to dig evil is equivalent to, to seek to prepare such for others.