The diagnosis was successful, the patient died.
By metaphor: although the procedure was executed as intended, it ended in failure.
(Modern Hebrew)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
הַנִּיתּוּחַ הִצְלִיחַ הַחוֹלֶה מֵת
Definition (Hebrew)
בְּהַשְׁאָלָה: לַמְרוֹת שֶׁהַתַּהֲלִיךְ בֻּצַּע כַּנִּדְרָשׁ הוּא הִסְתַּיֵּם בְּכִשָּׁלוֹן.
(הָעִבְרִית הַחֲדָשָׁה)