Meanings
alternative the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
- As much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible. Sometimes extended to jocular or organizational referents.
It’s obvious that when it comes to business vs government regulation the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
1976 May 10, Stanley Modic, “Spirit Is Willing, but . . .”, in Industry Week, Cleveland, Oh., →ISSN, →OCLC; quoted in Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 94ᵗʰ Congress, Second Session, volume 122, part 12, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 18 May 1976, →OCLC, page 14337, column 22 more examples
I should have more willpower, but as the saying goes, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Thus, all too often, instead of going to waste, my leftovers go to “waist.”
2019 January 19, Sue Bowman, “Rural Ramblings: Weighing In”, in Lancaster Farming, Northern edition, volume 64, number 16, Ephrata, Pa., →ISSN, →OCLC, page B9, column 1We are enjoying the aftermath of an all-grandkid weekend: fatigue, muscle cramps and a blue bucket filled with cicada shells by the back door. We will rebound shortly. Thanksgiving sounds about right. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak—especially when you are outnumbered 11 to two.
2023 September 7, Lori Borgman, “A level playing field between youth, age”, in Lincoln Journal Star, volume 162, number 250, Lincoln, Neb.: Lee Enterprises, →ISSN, →OCLC, page B8, column 4
Synonyms & antonyms
proverbAs much as one wishes to achieve something, the frailties of the human body often make it impossible. Sometimes extended to jocular or organizational referents.
Origin
From the Bible's account of Jesus' last night in Gethsemane. Matthew 26:41: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek τὸ μὲν πνεῦμα πρόθυμον, ἡ δὲ σὰρξ ἀσθενής
- τὸ μὲν πνεῦμα πρόθυμον, ἡ δὲ σὰρξ ἀσθενής (tò mèn pneûma próthumon, hē dè sàrx asthenḗs)achieving something is made impossible by frailty
Arabic الرُوحُ تَوَّاقَةُ وَلٰكِنَّ الجَسَدُ ضَعِيفُ
- الرُوحُ تَوَّاقَةُ وَلٰكِنَّ الجَسَدُ ضَعِيفُ (ar-rūḥu tawwāqatu walākinna l-jasadu ḍaʕīfu)achieving something is made impossible by frailty
Chinese Mandarin 心有餘而力不足 /心有余而力不足
- 心有餘而力不足 /心有余而力不足 (xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú)achieving something is made impossible by frailty
Czech duchť zajisté hotov jest, ale tělo nemocno
- duchť zajisté hotov jest, ale tělo nemocnoachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Danish ånden er rede, men kødet er skrøbeligt
- ånden er rede, men kødet er skrøbeligtachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Dutch de geest is gewillig, maar het vlees is zwak
- de geest is gewillig, maar het vlees is zwakachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Esperanto la spirito ja estas fervora, sed la karno estas malforta
- la spirito ja estas fervora, sed la karno estas malfortaachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Finnish henki on altis, mutta liha on heikko, henki tosin on altis, mutta liha on heikko
- henki on altis, mutta liha on heikkoachieving something is made impossible by frailty
- henki tosin on altis, mutta liha on heikkoachieving something is made impossible by frailty
French l'esprit est prompt, mais la chair est faible
- l'esprit est prompt, mais la chair est faibleachieving something is made impossible by frailty
German der Geist ist willig, aber das Fleisch ist schwach
- der Geist ist willig, aber das Fleisch ist schwachachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Greek το μεν πνεύμα πρόθυμον, η δε σαρξ ασθενής
- το μεν πνεύμα πρόθυμον, η δε σαρξ ασθενής (to men pnévma próthymon, i de sarx asthenís)achieving something is made impossible by frailty
Hebrew אמנם הרוח חפצה, אבל הבשר חלש, הרוח חפצה והבשר רָפֶה
- אמנם הרוח חפצה, אבל הבשר חלשachieving something is made impossible by frailty
- הרוח חפצה והבשר רָפֶהachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Hindi आत्मा तैयार है लेकिन मांस कमजोर है
- आत्मा तैयार है लेकिन मांस कमजोर है (ātmā taiyār hai lekin māns kamjor hai)achieving something is made impossible by frailty
Hungarian a lélek kész, de a test erőtlen
- a lélek kész, de a test erőtlenachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Italian lo spirito è pronto, ma la carne è stanca
- lo spirito è pronto, ma la carne è stancaachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Japanese 心熱けれど肉体は弱し
- 心熱けれど肉体は弱し (kokoro netsu keredo nikutai wa yowashi)achieving something is made impossible by frailty
Latin spiritus quidem promptus est, caro autem infirma
- spiritus quidem promptus est, caro autem infirmaachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Māori he hihiko te wairua, ko te kikokiko ia he ngoikore
- he hihiko te wairua, ko te kikokiko ia he ngoikoreachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Norwegian Bokmål ånden er villig men kjødet er svakt
- ånden er villig men kjødet er svaktachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Polish dusza chętna, ale ciało słabe
- dusza chętna, ale ciało słabeachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Portuguese o espírito está pronto, mas a carne é fraca
- o espírito está pronto, mas a carne é fracaachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Russian дух бодр, плоть же не́мощна
- дух бодр, плоть же не́мощна (dux bodr, plotʹ že némoščna)achieving something is made impossible by frailty
Spanish el espíritu está presto, mas la carne enferma
- el espíritu está presto, mas la carne enfermaachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Swedish anden är villig, men köttet är svagt, anden vill, men kroppen är svag
- anden är villig, men köttet är svagtachieving something is made impossible by frailty
- anden vill, men kroppen är svagachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Vietnamese tâm thần thì muốn lắm, mà xác thịt thì yếu đuối
- tâm thần thì muốn lắm, mà xác thịt thì yếu đuốiachieving something is made impossible by frailty
Cite this entry
the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20spirit%20is%20willing%2C%20but%20the%20flesh%20is%20weak
“the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20spirit%20is%20willing%2C%20but%20the%20flesh%20is%20weak. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20spirit%20is%20willing%2C%20but%20the%20flesh%20is%20weak.
Source: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.