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Ecc_7:21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
Ver. 21. Also take no heed.] But be "as a deaf man that heareth not, and as a dumb man, in whose mouth there is no reproof." {Psa_38:13} If thou answer anything, say as he in Tacitus did to one that railed at him, Tu linguae, ego vero aurium dominus, Thou mayest say what thou wilt, but I will hear as I wish; or as once a certain steward did to his passionate lord, when he called him knave, &c.: - ‘Your honour may speak as you please, but I believe not a word that you say, for I know myself an honest man.’ The language of reproachers must be read like Hebrew, backwards. Princes used to correct the indecencies of ambassadors by denying them audience. Certain it is, that he enjoys a brave composedness that sets himself above the flight of the injurious claw. Isaac’s apology to his brother Ishmael, viz., patience and silence is the best answer to words of scorn and petulance, said learned Hooker. I care not for man’s day, saith Paul. {1Co_4:3} Non cum vanum calumniatorem, I regard not a vain slanderer, saith Augustine. Wicelius and Cochleus gave out that we Lutherans betrayed the Rhodes to the Turk, saith Melanchthon. These impudent lies need no confutation, dicant ipsi talia quoad velint, let them tell such loud and lewd lies as many as they will. When a net is spread for a bird, saith Augustine, the manner is to throw stones at the hedge. These stones hurt not the bird, but she, hearing and fearing this vain sound, falls into the net. In like manner, saith he, men that fear and regard the vain sound of all ill words, what do they but fall into the devil’s net, who thereby carries them captive into much evil, many troubles and inconvenience?
Lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.] Who should in duty speak the best of thee, though frample and froward, cross and crooked. {1Pe_2:18} Or by "servant" understand base, inferior people, such as were Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and those "abjects" that "tare David’s name, and ceased not." {Psa_35:15}