They did much, but it did not rise in their hands.
Many people have done it and failed. Many people have tried the thing without success. The opposite of the expression "many have done it and it is in their hands" means that they have done it and succeeded.
("They did many things, like the warriors of Ishmael, and it was given to them in the day, like the warriors of Shimon ben Yochai, and it was not given to them in the day" - blessings be upon her.)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
הַרְבֵּה עָשׂוּ וְלֹא עָלְתָה בְּיָדָם
Definition (Hebrew)
הַרְבֵּה אֲנָשִׁים עָשׂוּ וְלֹא הִצְלִיחוּ. הַרְבֵּה אֲנָשִׁים נִסּוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר לְלֹא הַצְלָחָה. הָפַךְ הַבִּטּוּי "הַרְבֵּה עָשׂוּ וְעָלְתָה בְּיָדָם" שֶׁמִּשְׁמָעוֹ עָשׂוּ וְהִצְלִיחוּ.
("הַרְבֵּה עָשׂוּ כְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְעָלְתָה בְּיָדָן,כְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחַאי וְלֹא עָלְתָה בְּיָדָן"- בְּרָכוֹת לָהּ ע"ב)