Ver. 16. But because their good things are not in their hand, may their counsel be far from me.
54. He 'holds his good things in his hand,' who in despising temporal things, forces them under the dominion of the mind. For whoever loves them over much, subjects himself more to them, than them to himself. For many of the righteous were rich in this world; sustained by their substance, and by their honour, they seemed to possess many things; yet forasmuch as their mind was not possessed by the excessive enjoyment of these things, which were theirs, 'their good things were in their hand,' because they were held subordinate to the authority of the soul. But on the other hand the wicked so discharge themselves with all their hearts in aims at outward things, that they do not themselves so much hold the things possessed, but are holden with minds in bondage by the things they possess. Therefore because 'their good things are not in their hand,' it is rightly added, let their counsel be far from me. For what is 'the counsel of the wicked,' saving to seek earthly and neglect eternal glory, to aim at temporal well-being at the cost of interior detriment, and to change away transitory sorrows for eternal woes? Let the holy man, then, regarding these aims of the wicked, turn from them and say, Let their counsel be far from me. Because he sees it to be good beyond comparison, as it is, he had rather for a brief space groan here beneath the rod, than undergo the woes of eternal vengeance. But not even in this life do they, that are bent to make their way prosperous therein, enjoy an uninterrupted course of prosperity. But many times their joys are broken off by groans arising.
Thus he most clearly refuted their opinion, showing that temporal prosperity is not always the reward of virtue nor temporal adversity the punishment of sin, because evil men frequently prosper in this life although they merit nothing good from God, and with this they suffer no grave adversities. But someone could counter: If prosperity happens to evil men and they lack adversities, then there is, therefore, no reason to avoid evil, and so Qoheleth says, "The same things happen to everyone, and so the hearts of the sons of men are filled with evil." (9:13) But he answers to this objection saying, "Nevertheless, since their own goods are not in their hands, let their counsel be far from me." To understand this one must know that certain goods are in the hand of a man, that is, in his power, namely, the voluntary works of virtue of which he is lord through his free will aided by grace of God. Thus the virtuous can always retain goods of this kind for as long a time as they wish, and because of this the advice to pursue goods of this kind should be heeded. But the goods of temporal prosperity are not in the power of those who possess them so that they can acquire or keep them when they will. Thus the counsel of those men should be rejected in which they hold God and justice in contempt in order to live prosperously; for by this means they cannot obtain what they intend, but sometimes are pressed with adversities.
[AD 604] Gregory the Dialogist on Job 21:16
54. He 'holds his good things in his hand,' who in despising temporal things, forces them under the dominion of the mind. For whoever loves them over much, subjects himself more to them, than them to himself. For many of the righteous were rich in this world; sustained by their substance, and by their honour, they seemed to possess many things; yet forasmuch as their mind was not possessed by the excessive enjoyment of these things, which were theirs, 'their good things were in their hand,' because they were held subordinate to the authority of the soul. But on the other hand the wicked so discharge themselves with all their hearts in aims at outward things, that they do not themselves so much hold the things possessed, but are holden with minds in bondage by the things they possess. Therefore because 'their good things are not in their hand,' it is rightly added, let their counsel be far from me. For what is 'the counsel of the wicked,' saving to seek earthly and neglect eternal glory, to aim at temporal well-being at the cost of interior detriment, and to change away transitory sorrows for eternal woes? Let the holy man, then, regarding these aims of the wicked, turn from them and say, Let their counsel be far from me. Because he sees it to be good beyond comparison, as it is, he had rather for a brief space groan here beneath the rod, than undergo the woes of eternal vengeance. But not even in this life do they, that are bent to make their way prosperous therein, enjoy an uninterrupted course of prosperity. But many times their joys are broken off by groans arising.