Job 21:23

In order to refute the argument of [his friends], who wanted to refer everything to [their concept] of divine equity, he shows how they are inferior to him in merits and successes, so that it may clearly appear that in the present state of things the form of justice that they think they understand is lame.

Ver. 23-25. One dieth in his full strength, being rich and prosperous. His inwards are full of fatness, and his bowels are moistened with marrow. And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and hath never any wealth.

62. These things being so, who may investigate the secrets of Almighty God, to find out wherefore He permits them so to be? Now to the Elect and the Lost, their life indeed is unlike, but the corruption of the flesh in death is no way unlike.

Therefore, after he has established the sufficiency of divine knowledge, he then introduces material for a doubt which might arise about how he governs human beings in different ways because some are prosperous until their death whereas others die in misery. Temporal prosperity consists first in power, and regarding this he says, "One man will die strong;" second in the health of the body, and regarding this he says, "healthy;" third in a wealth of exterior things, and regarding this he says, "rich;" and fourth in the prosperous success of one's plans and of works, and regarding this he says, "and fortunate." For one is considered really fortunate in the eyes of some when everything succeeds for him according to desire.