Our struggles today are no different than the struggles of folks back in the days of the Babylonian Empire.
Below the story is excerpted from the book, "Richest Man in Babylon" by George Clawson.
Look back at the lives of two friends, Kobbi and Bansir in ancient Babylon. They were chatting about being poor and what they could do to fill up their empty purses. At length, Kobbi said, earlier in the day, he had passed by their old friend, Arkad, who had become the richest man in Babylon. "He is so rich," Kobbi said, "the king seeks his golden aid in affairs of the treasury."
At that moment, Bansir interjected, "Income, that is the thing. I wish an income that will keep flowing into my purse whether I sit upon the wall or travel to far lands. Arkad must know how a man can make an income for himself."
"It costs nothing to ask wise advice from a good friend and Arkad was always that." And so both of them decided to approach Arkad and bringing along any friends who wished to learn.
When they all finally caught up with Arkad, they began by saying, once when they were young they were equal but now fickle fate had bestowed upon him fame and wealth, to become the richest man in all of Babylon.
Thereupon, Arkad began his story.....
In my youth I looked about me and saw all the good things there were to bring happiness and contentment. And I realized that wealth increased the potency of all these. Wealth is a power. With wealth many things are possible.
One may ornament the home with the richest of furnishings.
One may sail the distant seas.
One may feast on the delicacies of far lands.
One may buy the ornaments of the gold worker and the stone polisher.
One may even build mighty temples for the Gods.
One may do all these things and many others in which there is delight for the senses and gratification for the soul.
And, when I realized all this, I decided to myself that I would claim my share of the good things of life. I decided. I would not be one of those who would stand afar off, enviously watching others enjoy. I would not be satisfied with the lot of a poor man. On the contrary, I would make myself a guest at this banquet of good things. Being, as you know, the son of a humble merchant, one of a large family with no hope of inheritance, and not being endowed, as you have so frankly said.
With superior powers or wisdom, I decided that if I was to achieve what I desired, time and study would be required. As for time, all men have it in abundance. You, each of you, have let slip by sufficient time to have made yourselves wealthy.
As for study, did not our wise teacher teach us that learnings was of two kinds: the one kind being the things we learned and knew. And the other being the training that taught us how to find out what we did not know? Therefore, I decided to find out how one might accumulate wealth. And when I had found out, to make this my task and do it well.
For, is it not wise that we should enjoy while we dwell in the brightness of the sunshine. For sorrows enough shall descend upon us when we depart for the darkness of the world of spirit?
I found employment as a scribe in the hall of records. And long hours each day I labored upon clay tablets. Week after week, and month after month, I labored. Yet for all my earnings I had naught to show.
One day Algamish, a wealthy money lender came to the house of the city master and ordered a copy of the ninth law. "I must have this in two days, and if the task is done by that time, two coppers will I give to thee."
So I labored hard, but the law was long. And when Algamish returned the task was unfinished. He was angry. And had I been his slave, he would have beaten me. But knowing the city master would not permit him to injure me, I was unafraid. So I said to him, Algamish, you are a very rich man. Tell me how I may also become rich, and all night I will carve upon the clay, and when the sun rises it shall be completed. He smiles at me and replied, "You are a forward knave. But we will call it a bargain."
All night I labored and when Algamish returned, the tablet was ready. Now tell me what you promised, I said to him.
"You have fulfilled your part of our bargain, my son," he said to me kindly. "And now I am ready to fulfill mine. I will tell you these things you wish to know because I am becoming an old man, and an old tongue loves to wag. And when youth comes to age for advice he receives the wisdom of years. But too often does youth think that age knows only the wisdom of days that are gone, and therefore profits not. But remember this, the sun that shines today is the sun that shone when thy father was born, and will still be shining when thy last grandchild shall pass into the darkness. The thoughts of youth are bright lights that shine forth like the meteors that oft make brilliant the sky, but the wisdom of age is like the fixed stars that shine so unchanged that the sailor may depend upon them to steer his course. Mark you well my words, for if you do not you will fail to grasp the truth that I will tell you. And you will think that your night's work has been in vain."
He looked at me shrewdly from under his shaggy brows and said in a low, forceful tone,
"I found the road to wealth when I decided that a part of all I earned was mine to keep, and so will you."
Then he continued to look at me with a glance that I could feel pierce me but said no more. "Is that all?" I asked. "That was sufficient to change the heart of a sheep herder into the heart of a money lender," he replied.
"But all I earn is mine to keep, is it not?" I demanded.
He said, "Far from it. Do you not pay the garment-maker? Do you not pay the sandal-maker? Do you not pay for the things you eat? Can you live in Babylon with spending? What have you to show for your earnings of the past month? What for the past year? Fool! You pay to everyone but yourself. Dullard, you labor for others. As well be a slave and work for what your master gives you to eat and wear.
If you did keep for yourself one-tenth of all you earn, how much would you have in ten years?"
"My knowledge of the numbers did not forsake me. As much as I earn in one year," I answered.
Algamish retorted, "You speak but half the truth. Every gold piece you save is a slave to work for you. Every copper it earns is its child that also can earn for you. If you would become wealthy, then what you save must earn. And its children must earn. That all may help to give to you the abundance you crave. You think I cheat you for your long night's work. But I am paying you a thousand times over if you have the intelligence to grasp the truth I offer you."
"A part of all you earn is yours to keep. It should be not less than a tenth no matter how little you earn. It can be as much more as you can afford. Pay yourself first."
"Do not buy from the clothes-maker and the sandal-maker more than you can pay out of the rest and still have enough for food and charity and penance to the Gods. Wealth, like a tree, grows from a tiny seed.
The first copper you save is the seed from which your tree of wealth shall grow. The sooner you plant that seed the sooner shall the tree grow. And the more faithfully you nourish and water that tree with consistent savings, the sooner may you bask in contentment beneath its shade."
After his finals words, he left with his tablets and I thought much about what he said, and it seemed reasonable. So I decided I would try it. Each time I was paid I took one from each ten pieces of copper and had it hid away.
And strange as it may seem, I was no shorter of funds than before. I noticed little difference as I managed to get along without it, but often I was tempted, as my hoard began to grow. But wisely I refrained.
And that was how I began my journey to wealth!
Below the story is excerpted from the book, "Richest Man in Babylon" by George Clawson.
Look back at the lives of two friends, Kobbi and Bansir in ancient Babylon. They were chatting about being poor and what they could do to fill up their empty purses. At length, Kobbi said, earlier in the day, he had passed by their old friend, Arkad, who had become the richest man in Babylon. "He is so rich," Kobbi said, "the king seeks his golden aid in affairs of the treasury."
At that moment, Bansir interjected, "Income, that is the thing. I wish an income that will keep flowing into my purse whether I sit upon the wall or travel to far lands. Arkad must know how a man can make an income for himself."
"It costs nothing to ask wise advice from a good friend and Arkad was always that." And so both of them decided to approach Arkad and bringing along any friends who wished to learn.
When they all finally caught up with Arkad, they began by saying, once when they were young they were equal but now fickle fate had bestowed upon him fame and wealth, to become the richest man in all of Babylon.
Thereupon, Arkad began his story.....
In my youth I looked about me and saw all the good things there were to bring happiness and contentment. And I realized that wealth increased the potency of all these. Wealth is a power. With wealth many things are possible.
One may ornament the home with the richest of furnishings.
One may sail the distant seas.
One may feast on the delicacies of far lands.
One may buy the ornaments of the gold worker and the stone polisher.
One may even build mighty temples for the Gods.
One may do all these things and many others in which there is delight for the senses and gratification for the soul.
And, when I realized all this, I decided to myself that I would claim my share of the good things of life. I decided. I would not be one of those who would stand afar off, enviously watching others enjoy. I would not be satisfied with the lot of a poor man. On the contrary, I would make myself a guest at this banquet of good things. Being, as you know, the son of a humble merchant, one of a large family with no hope of inheritance, and not being endowed, as you have so frankly said.
With superior powers or wisdom, I decided that if I was to achieve what I desired, time and study would be required. As for time, all men have it in abundance. You, each of you, have let slip by sufficient time to have made yourselves wealthy.
As for study, did not our wise teacher teach us that learnings was of two kinds: the one kind being the things we learned and knew. And the other being the training that taught us how to find out what we did not know? Therefore, I decided to find out how one might accumulate wealth. And when I had found out, to make this my task and do it well.
For, is it not wise that we should enjoy while we dwell in the brightness of the sunshine. For sorrows enough shall descend upon us when we depart for the darkness of the world of spirit?
I found employment as a scribe in the hall of records. And long hours each day I labored upon clay tablets. Week after week, and month after month, I labored. Yet for all my earnings I had naught to show.
One day Algamish, a wealthy money lender came to the house of the city master and ordered a copy of the ninth law. "I must have this in two days, and if the task is done by that time, two coppers will I give to thee."
So I labored hard, but the law was long. And when Algamish returned the task was unfinished. He was angry. And had I been his slave, he would have beaten me. But knowing the city master would not permit him to injure me, I was unafraid. So I said to him, Algamish, you are a very rich man. Tell me how I may also become rich, and all night I will carve upon the clay, and when the sun rises it shall be completed. He smiles at me and replied, "You are a forward knave. But we will call it a bargain."
All night I labored and when Algamish returned, the tablet was ready. Now tell me what you promised, I said to him.
"You have fulfilled your part of our bargain, my son," he said to me kindly. "And now I am ready to fulfill mine. I will tell you these things you wish to know because I am becoming an old man, and an old tongue loves to wag. And when youth comes to age for advice he receives the wisdom of years. But too often does youth think that age knows only the wisdom of days that are gone, and therefore profits not. But remember this, the sun that shines today is the sun that shone when thy father was born, and will still be shining when thy last grandchild shall pass into the darkness. The thoughts of youth are bright lights that shine forth like the meteors that oft make brilliant the sky, but the wisdom of age is like the fixed stars that shine so unchanged that the sailor may depend upon them to steer his course. Mark you well my words, for if you do not you will fail to grasp the truth that I will tell you. And you will think that your night's work has been in vain."
He looked at me shrewdly from under his shaggy brows and said in a low, forceful tone,
"I found the road to wealth when I decided that a part of all I earned was mine to keep, and so will you."
Then he continued to look at me with a glance that I could feel pierce me but said no more. "Is that all?" I asked. "That was sufficient to change the heart of a sheep herder into the heart of a money lender," he replied.
"But all I earn is mine to keep, is it not?" I demanded.
He said, "Far from it. Do you not pay the garment-maker? Do you not pay the sandal-maker? Do you not pay for the things you eat? Can you live in Babylon with spending? What have you to show for your earnings of the past month? What for the past year? Fool! You pay to everyone but yourself. Dullard, you labor for others. As well be a slave and work for what your master gives you to eat and wear.
If you did keep for yourself one-tenth of all you earn, how much would you have in ten years?"
"My knowledge of the numbers did not forsake me. As much as I earn in one year," I answered.
Algamish retorted, "You speak but half the truth. Every gold piece you save is a slave to work for you. Every copper it earns is its child that also can earn for you. If you would become wealthy, then what you save must earn. And its children must earn. That all may help to give to you the abundance you crave. You think I cheat you for your long night's work. But I am paying you a thousand times over if you have the intelligence to grasp the truth I offer you."
"A part of all you earn is yours to keep. It should be not less than a tenth no matter how little you earn. It can be as much more as you can afford. Pay yourself first."
"Do not buy from the clothes-maker and the sandal-maker more than you can pay out of the rest and still have enough for food and charity and penance to the Gods. Wealth, like a tree, grows from a tiny seed.
The first copper you save is the seed from which your tree of wealth shall grow. The sooner you plant that seed the sooner shall the tree grow. And the more faithfully you nourish and water that tree with consistent savings, the sooner may you bask in contentment beneath its shade."
After his finals words, he left with his tablets and I thought much about what he said, and it seemed reasonable. So I decided I would try it. Each time I was paid I took one from each ten pieces of copper and had it hid away.
And strange as it may seem, I was no shorter of funds than before. I noticed little difference as I managed to get along without it, but often I was tempted, as my hoard began to grow. But wisely I refrained.
And that was how I began my journey to wealth!
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