expression
so near, yet so far; missing the final crucial step
Proverb meaning that one has done most of the work but failed to complete the essential final part, leaving the result useless. Literally 'making a Buddha statue but forgetting to put the soul in it'.
企画書は完成したが、上司の承認を得るのを忘れてしまった。まさに仏作って魂入れずだ。
I finished the proposal but forgot to get my boss's approval. It's a perfect case of 'so near, yet so far'.
せっかく料理を作ったのに、味付けを忘れて仏作って魂入れずだった。
I went to all the trouble of cooking, but forgot to season it—missing the final crucial step.
Similar meaning: finishing touch is missing. 画竜点睛を欠く is more formal and literary, while 仏作って魂入れず is a folksy proverb.
A Japanese proverb derived from the idea of a sculptor who carves a Buddha statue but neglects the ritual of enshrining its spirit, rendering the statue lifeless. The exact origin is uncertain.