What does Proverbs 26:27 mean?

Other proverbs note that those who plan evil can expect to suffer as a result (Proverbs 5:22; 15:27; 19:16). This is a general statement, not a prophecy; not all evil acts are punished in this life. Yet they will be noticed and judged by God (Proverbs 8:34–36; 24:16, 19–22). Still, it's often the case that those who plan evil get caught in the aftermath of their own sin.

The imagery here is drawn from a hunter's efforts to trap an animal. Other lessons in the book of Proverbs use the metaphor of traps (Proverbs 12:13; 22:25; 23:27; 28:10). Some traps are simple, such as disguising a hole in the ground. Others require weight; rolling a large rock indicates the arduous work an evil man puts forth to destroy his victim. Eventually, however, retribution comes to him.

The book of Esther relates the story of wicked Haman's scheming to kill righteous Mordecai and all the Jews in Persia. In the end, however, Haman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. God protected Mordecai and his fellow Jews. Psalm 9:16 says, "The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands."