# Where is “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” in the Bible?

> “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” is Proverbs 13:12.

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/is-it-in-the-bible/hope-deferred-makes-the-heart-sick
By Andrew Kittridge · November 10, 2026

It is one of the proverbs of Solomon.

## The verse

> Hope delayed makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
>
> — [Proverbs 13:12](https://www.lumin.faith/read/proverbs/13#12) (Lumin Translation)

English Bibles word this verse in different ways. The Lumin Translation, a modern English Bible, is quoted here.

## What it means there

The proverb states how waiting feels and does not scold anyone for it. The second half is the relief: a longing fulfilled is like a tree of life.

## Common questions

### Where is “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” in the Bible?

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick” is Proverbs 13:12. English Bibles word this verse in different ways. The Lumin Translation, a modern English Bible, is quoted here. It is one of the proverbs of Solomon.

### Is “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” in the Bible?

Yes. It is Proverbs 13:12. In the Lumin Translation, Proverbs 13:12 reads: “Hope delayed makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”

### Who said “Hope deferred makes the heart sick”?

It is one of the proverbs of Solomon.

### What does “Hope deferred makes the heart sick” mean in the Bible?

The proverb states how waiting feels and does not scold anyone for it. The second half is the relief: a longing fulfilled is like a tree of life.

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