Surely extortion turns a wise man into a fool, and a bribe corrupts the heart.
Solomon had often complained before of the oppressions which he saw under the sun, which gave occasion for many melancholy speculations and were a great discouragement to virtue and piety. Now here, I. He grants the temptation to be strong (Ecc 7:7): Surely it is often too true that oppression makes a wise man mad.
Commenting on Ecclesiastes 7:7-10
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad,.... Which is to be understood either passively, when he is oppressed by others, or sees others oppressed; it raises indignation in him, disturbs his mind, and he is ready to pass a wrong judgment on the dispensations of Providence, and to say rash and unadvised things concerning them, Psa 73:2; or actively, of oppression with which he oppresses...
oppression--recurring to the idea (Ecc 3:16; Ecc 5:8). Its connection with Ecc 7:4-6 is, the sight of "oppression" perpetrated by "fools" might tempt the "wise" to call in question God's dispensations, and imitate the folly (equivalent to "madness") described (Ecc 7:5,6). WEISS, for "oppression," translates, "distraction," produced by merriment. But Ecc 5:8 favors English Version.