Richest Man in Babylon

In old Babylon there once lived a certain very rich man named Arkad.

Far and wide he was famed for his great wealth. Also was be famed for

his liberality. He was generous in his charities. He was generous with his

family. He was liberal in his own expenses. But nevertheless each year

his wealth increased more rapidly than he spent it.

And there were certain friends of younger days who came to him and

said: “You, Arkad, are more fortunate than we. You have become the

richest man in all Babylon while we struggle for existence. You can wear

the finest garments and you can enjoy the rarest foods, while we must be

content if we can clothe our families in raiment that is presentable and

feed them as best we can.

“Yet, once we were equal. We studied under the same master. We played

in the same games. And in neither the studies nor the games did you

outshine us. And in the years since, you have been no more an honorable

citizen than we.

“Nor have you worked harder or more faithfully, insofar as we can judge.

Why, then, should a fickle fate single you out to enjoy all the good things

of life and ignore us who are equally deserving?”

Thereupon Arkad remonstrated with them, saying, “If you have not

acquired more than a bare existence in the years since we were youths, it

is because you either have failed to learn the laws that govern the

building of wealth, or else you do not observe them.

“Fickle Fate’ is a vicious goddess who brings no permanent good to

anyone. On the contrary, she brings ruin to almost every man upon

whom she showers unearned gold. She makes wanton spenders, who

soon dissipate all they receive and are left beset by overwhelming

appetites and desires they have not the ability to gratify. Yet others whom

she favors become misers and hoard their wealth, fearing to spend what

they have, knowing they do not possess the ability to replace it.