A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.
A naughty person (literally, a man of Belial - i:e., worthlessness), a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. After indolence, he subjoins the opposite fault, busybody-frowardness of heart and mouth, which is often the effect of the former For idleness is the mother of mischief. "Pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness" were the source of Sodom's "iniquity" (Ezekiel 16:49). The "idle" are sure to be "tattlers and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not" (1 Timothy 5:13). He who is nobody in deeds is often strong in words. He whose hands are idle has a tongue anything but idle; and he tries by words suited to men's humours to win that favour which he cannot by deeds (T. Cartwright). "Walketh" implies progress in evil; as the tendency of all sin is to grow more and more inveterate (cf. Jeremiah 6:28, "Walking with slanders;" and Psalms 73:9). The froward mouth refers to lying words for mischief's sake (Proverbs 6:14).