Japanese - Ask questions thread

Basically if you have a question about the language, ask it and fellow 4channers might see it and answer it for you.

To start it off. When an animate object (iru) dies, is it considered inanimate(aru)?

I've heard this phrase many times: 悪いことは言わない。
It's often used just before giving an advice.
Taken literally it means: I don't say bad things.
Googling it shows that it's used in:
悪いことは言わない。やめておけ
However if I do a direct translation of that:
I don't say bad things. Just stop.
This sounds engrish, so I assume it isn't to be taken literally.
What does it actually mean?