13:12

Notice the parallel parts that contrast in meaning:

12a
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

12b but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

13:12a

Hope deferred makes the heart sick: The word deferred means to be delayed or postponed for a long period of time. When a person hopes or waits expectantly for something to happen, but that hope remains unfulfilled for a long time, the result is sadness, discouragement, or depression. Some ways to translate this line are:

It is sad not to get what you hoped for. (New Century Version)
-or-
If a person’s hope is not fulfilled for a long time, he will become discouraged/depressed.

13:12b

but desire fulfilled is a tree of life: This is a metaphor that compares a person’s fulfilled desire to a life-giving tree. When a person strongly desires something, and that desire is met or comes true, the result will be the same as if he had eaten fruit from a tree that gives life. The similarity is that he will feel invigorated and happy.

If a literal translation of this metaphor is not clear in your language, some other ways to translate it are:

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

But wishes that come true are like eating fruit from the tree of life. (New Century Version)

• Change the metaphor to a simile and make the similarity explicit. For example:

But if a person’s desires are met, he will be as ⌊happy as⌋ someone who has eaten fruit from a tree that gives life.

• Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:

but a wish come true fills you with joy (Good News Translation)

desire: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as desire means essentially the same thing as “hope” in 13:12a. Another way to translate it is:

a longing (New International Version)

tree of life: For the expression tree of life, see the notes on 3:18a and 11:30a. Because of the contrast with sadness/discouragement in 13:12a, the kind of life that is implied here in 13:12b is probably an enthusiastic and happy life rather than a long life.

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