16. Don't envy godless men; don't even enjoy their company. For they spend their days plotting violence and cheating. All they talk about is making trouble.
17. Any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts.
18. Wisdom makes a man more powerful. Knowledge gives a man strength. In any major decision you make concerning college, marriage, career, children, etc., it is not a sign of weakness to ask for advice. Instead, it is foolish not to ask for it. Find good advisers before making any big decision. They can help you expand your alternatives and evaluate your choices.
19. If you start planning ways to do wrong, people will learn that you are a troublemaker. Planning to do evil can be as wrong as doing it because what you think determines what you will do. Left unchecked, wrong desires will lead us to sin. God wants pure hearts, free from sin, and planning evil brings sinful thoughts into our mind
20. If you are weak in times of trouble, that is real weakness. Times of trouble can be useful. They can show you who you really are—what kind of character you have developed. In addition, they can help you grow stronger. When Jeremiah questioned God because of the trouble he faced, God asked how he ever expected to face big challenges if the little ones tired him out. “If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5 (NLT)”. Don't complain about your problems. The trouble you face today is training you to be strong for the more difficult situations you will face in the future.
21. If you see someone on their way to death or in danger of being killed, you must do something to save them. You cannot say, "It's none of my business." The Lord knows everything, and he knows why you do things. He watches you, and he will pay you back for what you do. Hence, Neglect of known duty is sin.
22. Don’t try to destroy an upright man. It simply won't work. The good are resilient, and they will always bounce back. Those who hatch schemes against them will find that trouble boomerangs back to hit them. Therefore "Don't do it; it will backfire!"
23. Don't be happy when your enemy has troubles. Don't be glad when they fall. The LORD will see this, and he might be upset with you and decide not to punish your enemy.
24. Don't let those who are evil upset you, and don't be jealous of them. It is natural for lovers of truth to be disturbed when they see wicked people thumbing their nose at God and his laws—and apparently getting away with it! Believers are tempted not only to rage but also to be envious, secretly wishing to enjoy what the wicked enjoy. The antidote to this anger or envy is trust in God and confidence in what he says about the fate of the wicked - their lives will be snuffed out, just as a person extinguishes a lamp. Moreover, the wicked have no future hope beyond this life, but the righteous have hope beyond the grave as receivers of eternal life.
25. Above all respect and fear the LORD. Don't join with those who negatively criticise God, because people like that can quickly be destroyed. You have no idea how much trouble God can make for their enemies.
Look for counselors when you need them. Don't wait for them to come to you. Listen to your parents if they are still living. Except in rare cases, these two have your best interest in mind and will give you good advice. Also, soak your mind in Scripture so that you can give good counsel to those who ask you.
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