Its End Is Burning

Γῆ γὰρ ἡ πιοῦσα τὸν ἐπ' αὐτῆς ἐρχόμενον πολλάκις ὑετόν, καὶ τίκτουσα βοτάνην εὔθετον ἐκείνοις δι' οὓς καὶ γεωργεῖται, μεταλαμβάνει εὐλογίας ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ: ἐκφέρουσα δὲ ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἀδόκιμος καὶ κατάρας ἐγγύς, ἧς τὸ τέλος εἰς καῦσιν Ἥ γε μὴν ῥᾴθυμος ψυχὴ παρεικάζοιτο ἂν εἰκότως γῇ πονηρᾷ καὶ ἀλμάδι, δεχομένῃ μὲν πολλάκις παρὰ τῶν γηπονεῖν εἰωθότων τὰς τῶν σπερμάτων καταβολὰς, τικτούσῃ δὲ τὸ σύμπαν οὐδεν. Εἰς ποῖον δὲ αὐτῇ τέλος ἡ ῥᾳθυμία ἐκβήσεται, ἂπρακτον ἀποφηνάσῃ τὴν δοθεῐσαν αὐτῇ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ δωρεὰν, διδάξει λέγων ὀ Παῦλος, ὅτι Τὸ τέλος αὐτῆς εἰς καυσιν. Βούλει καὶ διὰ πραγμάτων τὸ εἰρημένον ἰδεῖν ἀληθές; Γέηονε ποτὲ γῆ καρποφόρος ὀ Ἰσραήλ, ἄμπελος εὐκληματοῦσα, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον. Ταύτῃ γεγόνασιν ἐν τάξει νεφῶν οἱ μακάροι προφῆται, καὶ θείοις αὐτὴν κατάρδοντες λόγοις, ὠφελεῖν ἐσπούδαλζον, ἀλλ' ἐποίησεν ἀκάνθας, ἀγρία γέγονε καὶ ὑλομανής. Δέδοται τοίνυν εἰς καῦσιν, τουτέστιν, ἠχρεώθη παντελῶς, καὶ τῷ πυρὶ τετραμίευται. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας,Εἰς τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολὴν, Ἐκλογαι Source: Migne PG 74.976a-b

For the earth that drinks in the rain which comes often on it and brings forth herbs fitting for them by whom it is tilled receives a blessing from God, but that which brings forth thorns and briars is reprobate and near a curse, and its end is in burning. 1 The idle soul is rightly compared to an evil and marshy land which when it receives the seeds thrown by the farmer yet frequently germinates nothing. What sort of end this idleness will have, given by God for its unfruitfulness, Paul teaches, saying, 'Its end is in burning.' He wishes to say that the truth is known through deeds. It is written that Israel was a fertile land and thick with vines. 2 Here clouds of blessed prophets arose who watered it with Divine words, zealous to help, yet it produced only thorns and appeared bitter and wild. Therefore it was given to burning, that is, what uselessly springs up is reserved for fire. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Letter to Hebrews, Fragment 1 Heb 6.7-8 2 Hosea 10.1