The Richest Man In Babylon
By
George S Clason
Chapter 1
The
Man Who Desired Gold
Bansir,
the chariot builder of Babylon, was thoroughly discouraged. From his seat upon
the low wall surrounding his property, he gazed sadly at his simple home and
the open workshop in which stood a partially completed chariot.
His
wife frequently appeared at the open door. Her furtive glances in his direction
reminded him that the meal bag was almost empty and he should be at work
finishing the chariot, hammering and hewing, polishing and painting, stretching
taut the leather over the wheel rims, preparing it for delivery so he could
collect from his wealthy customer.
Nevertheless,'
his fat, muscular body sat stolidly upon the wall. His slow mind was struggling
patiently with a problem for which he could find no answer. The hot, tropical
sun, so typical of this valley of the Euphrates, beat down upon him
mercilessly.
Beads
of perspiration formed upon his brow and trickled down unnoticed to lose
themselves in the hairy jungle on his chest.
Beyond
his home towered the high terraced walls surrounding the king's palace. Nearby,
cleaving the blue heavens, was the painted tower of the Temple of Bel. In the
shadow of such grandeur was his simple home and many others far less neat and
well cared for. Babylon was like this—a mixture of grandeur and squalor, of
dazzling wealth and direst poverty,
crowded
together without plan or system within the protecting walls of the city.
Behind
him, had he cared to turn and look, the
noisy
chariots of the rich jostled and crowded aside the sandaled tradesmen as well
as the barefooted beggars. Even the rich were forced to turn into the gutters to
clear the way for the long lines of slave water carriers, on the "king's
business," each bearing a heavy goatskin of water to be poured upon the hanging
gardens.
Bansir
was too engrossed in his own problem to
hear
or heed the confused hubbub of the busy city.
It
was the unexpected twanging of the strings from a familiar lyre that aroused
him from his reverie. He turned and looked into the sensitive, smiling face of his
best friend—Kobbi, the musician.
"May
the Gods bless thee with great liberality, my good friend," began Kobbi
with an elabourate salute.
"Yet,
it does appear they have already been so generous thou needest not to labour. I
rejoice with thee in thy good fortune. More, I would even share it with thee.
Pray, from thy purse which must be bulging else thou wouldst be busy in yon
shop, extract but two humble shekels and lend them to me until after
the
noblemen's feast this night. Thou wilt not miss them ere they are
returned."
"If
I did have two shekels," Bansir responded
gloomily,
"to no one could I lend them—not even to you, my best of friends; for they
would be my fortune— my entire fortune. No one lends his entire fortune, not
even to his best friend."
"What,"
exclaimed Kobbi with genuine surprise.
"Thou
hast not one shekel in thy purse, yet sit like a statue upon a wall! Why not
complete that chariot?
How
else canst thou provide for thy noble appetite?
'Tis
not like thee, my friend. Where is thy endless energy? Doth something distress
thee? Have the gods brought to thee troubles?"
"A
torment from the gods it must be," Bansir
agreed.
"It began with a dream, a senseless dream, in which I thought I was a man
of means. From my belt hung a handsome purse, heavy with coins. There were
shekels which I cast with careless freedom to the beggars; there were pieces of
silver with which I
did
buy finery for my wife and whatever I did desire for myself; there were pieces
of gold which made me feel assured of the future and unafraid to spend the silver.
A glorious feeling of contentment was within me! You would not have known me
for thy hardworking friend. Nor wouldst have known my wife, so free from
wrinkles was her face and shining with
happiness.
She was again the smiling maiden of our early married days."
"A
pleasant dream, indeed," commented Kobbi,
"but
why should such pleasant feelings as it aroused turn thee into a glum statue
upon the wall?"
"Why,
indeed! Because when I awoke and remembered how empty was my purse, a feeling
of rebellion swept over me. Let us talk it over together, for, as the sailors
do say, we ride in the same boat, we two. As youngsters, we went together to
the priests to learn wisdom. As young men, we shared each other's pleasures.
As
grown men, we have always been close friends. We have been contented subjects
of our kind. We have been satisfied to work long hours and spend our earnings
freely. We have earned much coin in the years that have passed, yet to know the
joys that come from wealth, we must dream about them. Bah! Are we more than
dumb sheep? We live in the richest city in all the world. The travelers do
say
none equals it in wealth. About us is much display of wealth, but of it we
ourselves have naught.
After
half a lifetime of hard labour, thou, my best of friends, hast an empty purse
and sayest to me, 'May I borrow such a trifle as two shekels until after the noblemen's
feast this night?' Then, what do I reply?
Do
I say, 'Here is my purse; its contents will I gladly share?' No, I admit that
my purse is as empty as thine. What is the matter? Why cannot we acquire silver
and gold—more than enough for food and robes?
"Consider,
also, our sons," Bansir continued, "are they not following in the
footsteps of their fathers?
Need
they and their families and their sons and their sons' families live all their
lives in the midst of such treasurers of gold, and yet, like us, be content to
banquet upon sour goat's milk and porridge?"
"Never,
in all the years of our friendship, didst
thou
talk like this before, Bansir." Kobbi was
puzzled.
"Never
in all those years did I think like this before.
From
early dawn until darkness stopped me, I
have
laboured to build the finest chariots any man could make, soft-heartedly hoping
some day the gods would recognize my worthy deeds and bestow upon me great
prosperity. This they have never done.
At
last, I realize this they will never do. Therefore, my heart is sad. I wish to
be a man of means. I wish to own lands and cattle, to have fine robes and coins
in my purse. I am willing to work for these things with all the strength in my
back, with all the skill in my hands, with all the cunning in my mind, but I
wish
my labours to be fairly rewarded.
What
is the matter with us? Again I ask you! Why cannot we have our just share of
the good things so plentiful for those who have the gold with which to buy
them?"
"Would
I know an answer!" Kobbi replied. "No
better
than thou am I satisfied. My earnings from my lyre are quickly gone. Often must
I plan and scheme that my family be not hungry. Also, within my breast is a
deep longing for a lyre large enough that it may truly sing the strains of
music that do surge through my mind. With such an instrument could I make
music
finer than even the king has heard before?"
"Such
a lyre thou shouldst have. No man in all
Babylon
could make it sing more sweetly; could
make
it sing so sweetly, not only the king but the gods themselves would be
delighted. But how mayest thou secure it while we both of us are as poor as the
king's slaves? Listen to the bell! Here they come."
He
pointed to the long column of half-naked, sweating water bearers plodding
labouriously up the narrow street from the river. Five abreast they marched, each
bent under a heavy goatskin of water.
"A
fine figure of a man, he who doth lead them."
Kobbi
indicated the wearer of the bell who marched in front without a load. "A
prominent man in his own country, 'tis easy to see:"
"There
are many good figures in the line," Bansir agreed, "as good men as
we. Tall, blond men from the north, laughing black men from the south, little brown
men from the nearer countries. All marching together from the river to the
gardens, back and forth, day after day, year after year. Naught of happiness to
look forward to. Beds of straw upon which
to
sleep—hard grain porridge to eat. Pity the poor brutes, Kobbi!"
"Pity
them I do. Yet, thou dost make me see how little better off are we, free men
though we call ourselves."
"That
is truth, Kobbi, unpleasant thought though it be. We do not wish to go on year
after year living slavish lives. Working, working, working! Getting
nowhere."
"Might
we not find out how others acquire gold
and
do as they do?" Kobbi inquired.
"Perhaps
there is some secret we might learn if we but sought from those who knew,"
replied Bansir thoughtfully.
"This
very day," suggested Kobbi, "I did pass our old friend, Arkad, riding
in his golden chariot. This I will say, he did not look over my humble head as many
in his station might consider his right. Instead, he did wave his hand that all
onlookers might see him pay greetings and bestow his smile of friendship upon
Kobbi, the musician."
"He
is claimed to be the richest man in all Babylon,"
Bansir
mused.
"So
rich the king is said to seek his golden aid in
affairs
of the treasury," Kobbi replied.
"So
rich," Bansir interrupted, "I fear if I should
meet
him in the darkness of the night, I should lay my hands upon his fat
wallet."
"Nonsense,"
reproved Kobbi, "a man's wealth is
not
in the purse he carries. A fat purse quickly empties if there be no golden
stream to refill it. Arkad has an income that constantly keeps his purse full, no
matter how liberally he spends."
"Income,
that is the thing," ejaculated Bansir. "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. Dost suppose it is
something he could make clear to a mind as slow as mine?"
"Methinks
he did teach his knowledge to his son,
Nomasir,"
Kobbi responded. "Did he not go to Nineveh and, so it is told at the inn,
become, without aid from his father, one of the richest men in that city?"
"Kobbi,
thou bringest to me a rare thought." A
new
light gleamed in Bansir's eyes. "It costs nothing to ask wise advice from
a good friend and Arkad was always that. Never mind though our purses be as
empty as the falcon's nest of a year ago. Let that not detain us. We are weary
of being without gold in the midst of plenty. We wish to become men of means.
Come, let us go to Arkad and ask how we, also, may acquire incomes for
ourselves."
"Thou
speakest with true inspiration, Bansir. Thou bringeth to my mind a new understanding.
Thou makest me to realize the reason why we have never found any measure of
wealth. We never sought it.
Thou
hast laboured patiently to build the staunchest chariots in Babylon. To that
purpose was devoted your best endeavours. Therefore, at it thou didst succeed.
I
strove to become a skilful lyre player. And,
at
it I did succeed.
"In
those things toward which we exerted our best endeavours we succeeded. The gods
were content to let us continue thus. Now, at last, we see a light, bright like
that from the rising sun. It biddeth us to learn more that we may prosper more.
With a new understanding we shall find honourable ways to accomplish
our
desires."
"Let
us go to Arkad this very day," Bansir urged.
"Also,
let us ask other friends of our boyhood days,
.
who have fared no better than ourselves, to join us that they, too, may share
in his wisdom."
"Thou
wert ever thus thoughtful of thy friends,
Bansir.
Therefore hast thou many friends. It shall be as thou sayest. We go this day
and take them with us."
Lord make an arkad to be a blessing to my generation. Amen
ReplyDeleteBansir and Kobbi are two very interesting characters who lived lived a long time in their 'comfort zones'. They work and earn the much that could barely take care of their immediate needs.
DeleteThey lived in the midst of extreme wealth and squalor whereas they were 'average'.
They came to the realization of the need to earn more money beyond their daily living. They brainstorm together, noted their weaknesses and the strength of some of their friends. They took a very bold decision of seeking advise from their friend who is clearly doing much better and living in opulence.
Above is from Franklin Anor
DeleteFrank
DeleteWell done
But you need to trim your submission to fit into the bill of Executive Summary
Quite an interesting read. It’s not just enough to work hard 😓 but in all things let wisdom supersedes. Always be willing and eager to learn from men who are better than you are. The wealth of a man is not measured by how large the content of his purse rather how unending the stream from which it flows.
ReplyDeleteBut until one becomes uncomfortable 😣 with ones state, there will be no change in ones life. May our current state never deter us from seeking knowledge that will place us among men of means.
ReplyDeleteZubby
DeleteWell done
I was expecting 3 short sentences
Kindly re-summarized and cut off all the fluff
Lord make me an arkad to be a blessing to my generation.
ReplyDeleteI am very angry with poverty
I am grateful for the gift of mentors
My name still remains uzoma chidi okereke
DeleteIn the same society with the conditions and opportunities for all, while some will rise to live in affluence and abundance some will descend to live in wants and abject poverty/penury.
DeleteMaking wealth is not necessarily/absolutely dependent on working hard, rather on knowledge that will move one from pay cheque to cheque; to earning consistent passive income.
Yinka Okoh
Great work Yinka
DeleteHowever split the words into 3 sentences
June 30, 2020 at 10:46 PM
DeleteIn the same society with the conditions and opportunities for all, while some will rise to live in affluence and abundance some will descend to live in wants and abject poverty/penury.
Making wealth is not necessarily/absolutely dependent on working hard, rather on knowledge that will move one from pay cheque to cheque; to earning consistent passive income.
Multiple streams of passive income is inevitable for financial freedom and wealth accumulation.
Yinka Okoh
A society where there's a mix if the rich and poor living closely with each other but differing in the availability of means, albeit this availability is not dependent on his extremely hard working one seems.
ReplyDeleteOne's estate begins to change when there's a genuine desperation for a change, a genuine desire to better one's lot and with this comes a quest for knowledge, to be acquired from them that have gotten the means and are still getting it, whose wealth are not dependent on the size of their purse but on the number and size of streams from which flows continually the wealth.
Such an enlightening read.
Dr. Nkire Chisom Joel.
Doc
DeleteGreat work
edit out the fluff from your work and then repurpose it into 3 sentences
Very interesting with wonderful diction.
ReplyDeleteKobbi arouse the subconsciousness of Bansir to wealth.
Bansir, there in understood that his status wasn't a comfortable one.
The quest for wealth began but the means wasn't available.
Arkad has the means and must be consulted.
They all realized that wealth is lavishing in the city of Babylon where they inhabit but can't access it.
My lessons are to realize our said comfortable state that it is not a destination as was the acase of Bansir and crave for a greater height via the kobbi quest.
I am Ihejirika Benedict.
Great work Ben
DeleteWell done
Hardwork does not always guarantee success/wealth... But the secrets to success could be learnt
ReplyDeleteInya Inya Uma
ReplyDeleteIt is good to have a friend that thinks in a progressive pathways. Your desire for success is not enough until it is accompanied with action. Always seek to know.
Word
DeleteWell done
In every society no matter how bouyant, there will always be a division of class determined by finance.
ReplyDeleteOur skills and talents either God given or learnt overtime may not necessarily create wealth and success.
Success can surround poverty but if the poor never ask for the secret or wisdom behind it; success will continue to elude them.
Good one
DeleteWell done
The turning point for any man begins the day he has a dream that makes him dissatisfied with his present, propels him to aim higher, and pushes him to ask the right questions from the right people.
ReplyDeletewonderful words
Deletewell done
I found this chapter very interesting. Success is not defined my hard work but also by wisdom. A man must work hard with wisdom to define true success.
ReplyDeleteAnd another thing I understood here was that learning never ends. I understand that Bansir and Kobbi should be somewhat old considering the fact that they already have families and a number of kids but they were still eager to learn from Arkad on how to earn more money.
Nduanya Oluebube
I love this
DeleteWell done
Hardwork is not enough, you need financial knowledge or literacy that can be learned from those who are already wealthy. Most of the time the solution to our problems is not far from us.
ReplyDeleteDamaris Osunkwo
Good one
DeleteNice to have you here
Until you become uncomfortable with your present state, re-assess yourself and see the need for a change, you will forever remain where you are!
ReplyDeleteword
Deletewell done
A fat purse quickly empties if there is no stream stream of gold to fill it. We need steady, consistent and regular sources of income.. Passive income should be the target and not active(overworking )..
ReplyDeleteFrom Dr azudialu bede
DeleteI agree with you
DeleteDr Muhammad, Sagir.
ReplyDeleteBansir and Kobby are two friends that have worn out and still poor. They still need to work to survive. Arkad is wealthy and his money appears to work for him.
Good
DeleteDR.EKWEDIKE DENNIS : Such an inspiring chapter.Hardwork nar diligence do not guarantee riches or even wealth. Wealth locates a man who is provoked !
ReplyDeleteGood
DeleteThe richest man in Babylon
ReplyDelete*Chapter 1*
The reason we have never found any measure of wealth is because We never sought for it
Give your best toward your endeavours and you will we succeeded
Resent your current state and strife to get to the top
*Jombo Promise*
Good one Promise
DeleteWellll done
This is so interesting. I learned that hard work does not necessarily produce riches. To be rich one must learn the secret from those who have riches.
ReplyDeleteDr. Adeola Olabamiji
Good
DeleteIt's one thing to desire wealth it's another to walk the talk....
ReplyDeleteThey realized hardwork alone can't bring them riches as desired. So they both saw the need to inquire how to make a stable income that regardless of their situations the sources will never go dry...... The "how" is a very important factor and step towards their desired state.
In every society of affluence there are the well to do and the very poor, but untill the poor have what I call inspirational dissatisfaction ( that is their harrowing situation which they are dissatisfied about inspires them to take action to change their situation) like bansir , their situation will never change.
ReplyDeleteThere is a secret to wealth creation until you know the secret one might not be able to access or accumulate wealth.
Until one seek or askfask advice about wealth or anything, one will never find it, and it does cost anything to ask, just ask. and the reason most people have never had wealth is because they have not genuinely sought for it.
In all there is a need for speed of action by quickly acting on what inspiration one has .
Dr Andrew Alonge
Great work
DeleteBut you can make it shorter by removing the fluff
There lessons I learnt from today's reading:
ReplyDelete1.No one lends his entire fortune,not even to his friend.
2.A man's wealth is not I. The urse he carries.
3.We must be weary of being without hold in the midst of plenty
Great summary
DeleteWell done
Working hard is not enough to create wealth, sometimes we need to review our plans amd ask questions.... Don't let pride hold you back.
ReplyDeleteWell done
DeleteHardwork does not always guarantee success/wealth...
ReplyDeleteThe secrets to success could be learnt.
Make friends especially with the wealthy and wise, so you can tap into their wisdom.
Aliyu Chapa
well done
DeleteMy thoughts from dr uzoma
ReplyDeleteTo become a man of means,to own lands and cattle,to have robes and coins in my purse,i will find out how others acquire gold and do as they do.for a man's wealth is not in the purse he carries
well done
DeleteKobbi and Bansir got tired/angry with their ugly situation of fruitless hardworking with lean purse.
ReplyDeleteThey decided to change their lives for better by going to meet their old friend Arkad who was wealthy to enquire from him. Get angry with your ugly situation, decide to change it and go for apprenticeship from the master in that field of endeavour.
well done
Delete1. A man's wealth is
ReplyDeletenot in the purse he carries. A fat purse quickly empties if there be no other means to refill....
2. It costs nothing to ask wise advice from people we have acquired wealth..
3. There is a secret to all source of income, endeavour to find out...
Chukwuebuka Asadu
Bansir, an average man working as a chariot maker in the city of Babylon with his also average friend Kobbi.
ReplyDeleteTogether they realise that it is not good to be living in a wealthy city and being an average man.
They reach a decision to get advise from their friend
Arkar who is rich, with living in a wealthy city as a motivation
Dr Edwina Oche.
ReplyDeleteKobbi Bansir and other folks finally visited Arkad who was a renowned wealthy man to learn the secrets of wealth acquisition which would liberate them from their miserable life of poverty. They learnt that the biggest and all time wisdom to financial freedom was to learn the habit of saving a portion of their income not less than a tenth of the total,investing the savings through the mentorship of a successful individual in that field and allowing the yields to further be reinvested to bring about a connected economy.
This wisdom was stepped down to Arkad by an aged ,well experienced rich man who rather than give him fish to eat, thought him how to fish for greater economic yields.
It is good to have motivation from things around us
ReplyDelete1. Hardwork is not the surest way to success, but the right knowledge is.
ReplyDelete2. A man is not measured by the size of his purse, but by the value he brings to the table. (If you offer value to a billion people, you'll receive a billion reward. Take away all of Jeff Bezos' money, his knowledge will still bring him back to the top).
3. Your close cycle can influence your life.
One has to be enraged with his current situation, and have willingness to do whatever it takes to get out of the situation, to make progress in life.
ReplyDeleteOnyeka wisdom
ReplyDeleteWhatsoever is worth doing is worth doing well, if you must succeed, you must get involve in the business, less trust and proactive supervision.