Job 21:16

But their prosperity is not their own doing. ¹  The counsel of the wicked is far from me! ² 

But their prosperity is not in their own hands, so I stand aloof from the counsel of the wicked.

"Behold, their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

But their prosperity is not of their own doing, so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.

But they're wrong, dead wrong--they're not gods. It's beyond me how they can carry on like this!

Truly, is not their well-being in their power? (The purpose of the evil-doers is far from me.)

Is not their prosperity indeed their own achievement? The plans of the wicked are repugnant to me.

Indeed their prosperity is not in their hand; The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

But their prosperity is not their own doing. ¹  The counsel of the wicked is far from me! ² 

¹ tn Heb “is not in their hand.”

sn The implication of this statement is that their well-being is from God, which is the problem Job is raising in the chapter. A number of commentators make it a question, interpreting it to mean that the wicked enjoy prosperity as if it is their right. Some emend the text to say “his hands” – Gordis reads it, “Indeed, our prosperity is not in his hands.”

² sn Even though their life seems so good in contrast to his own plight, Job cannot and will not embrace their principles – “far be from me their counsel.”