And you mourn at the last, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
And you mourn at the last, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
And thou mourn at thy latter end, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
And you will be full of grief at the end of your life, when your flesh and your body are wasted;
And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
And thou mourn at thy latter end, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
When thy flesh and thy body are consumed - The word שאר shear, which we render body, signifies properly the remains, residue, or remnant of a thing: and is applied here to denote the breathing carcass, putrid with the concomitant disease of debauchery: a public reproach which the justice of God entails on this species of iniquity. The mourning here spoken of is of the most excessive kind: the word נהם naham is often applied to the growling of a lion, and the hoarse incessant murmuring of the sea. In the line of my duty, I have been often called to attend the death-bed of such persons, where groans and shrieks were incessant through the jaculating pains in their bones and flesh. Whoever has witnessed a closing scene like this will at once perceive with what force and propriety the wise man speaks. And How have I hated instruction, and despised the voice of my teachers! is the unavailing cry in that terrific time. Reader, whosoever thou art, lay these things to heart. Do not enter into their sin: once entered, thy return is nearly hopeless.
Yet one more curse is attendant on impurity. Then, as now, disease was the penalty of this sin.