For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
There is no point in arguing with fools, nor in trying to give them advice. No matter how good your argument, or how wise your advice, they will continue in their foolishness.
The second proverb is just as important, although only remotely related to the first. Do not think you can get away with cheating your neighbors by trickery or taking from those who do not have the connections to defend themselves. God will act as their redeemer in each case and will argue their case before the Judge of final recourse (which is Himself). You will lose that case.
When danger threatens I will turn to God. I call on you to do the same. He will shelter you from the dangers. If your enemies have set traps in your path, and I promise you that they will, do as God has instructed and you will not be caught in those traps. Instead, your enemies will be caught in the traps which they have laid for you. I am confident in God, which is why I sing His praises (well, in my case, not so much “sing” as “bellow”, but God appreciates it anyway).
Let us examine ourselves, test our lives. Do our actions reflect the faith we claim to have? If our actions reflect the fact that Jesus is within us than we have passed the test. If not we have failed. Paul reminds us that it is more important to do what is right, than that it appear that we have done what is right. Even more importantly, when we advise, guide, lead others, we need to be more concerned with them doing the right thing than with us being seen as a success. I will happily be seen as a failure if those to whom I have given advice, guidance, and/or leadership faithfully serve the Lord.
God lifts up people and nations to serve His purposes. Time and again these people and nations have come to believe that the power they have gained is theirs to use solely to satisfy their own desires. They begin to believe, and to act on that belief, that the only standard of what is right or wrong is the standard of what pleases themselves. When that happens and they do evil because it pleases them to do so, God will bring judgment against them. God will bring destruction upon them and raise another in their place. Wherever we are in life, let us examine our motives and our actions. Do we choose our actions based on what is right? Or only based on what pleases us?