Comentario sobre Proverbios 13:12

And so the Sages said "Man does not die with half his inclination still in his hand" and therefore they 'age' the understanding of Man so that his understanding is never calm and constantly lusting. And as the text says the "craving of a lazy man kills him", and the statement "hope deferred sickens the heart..."

Hope deferred He relies on his friend and does nothing.

makes the heart sick Heb. מחלה, brings sickness to the heart. This מחלה is not a noun like (Ex. 23:25): “And I will remove sickness (מחלה) from your midst,” but like (Lev. 11:6): “bringing up (מעלת) the cud.”

but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life lit. but a tree of life is a desire fulfilled. This is inverted; i.e., a desire fulfilled is like a tree of life. The hope that the Holy One, blessed be He, had hoped for Israel and looked forward for them to repent—brought them ultimately to heartsickness when they did not repent. And when His desire is fulfilled—that they comply with His will—it is a tree of life to them.