The Richest Man in Babylon

by George S. Clason

The eons of time have crumbled to dust the proud walls of its temples, but the wisdom of Babylon endures.

Money is the medium by which earthly success is measured. Money makes possible the enjoyment of the best the earth affords. Money is plentiful for those who understand the simple laws which govern its acquisition.

I decided that if I was to achieve what I desired, time and study would be required.

learning 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?

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.

wisdom of age is like the fixed stars that shine so unchanged that the sailor may depend upon them to steer his course.

'I found the road to wealth when I decided that a part of all I earned was mine to keep.

You pay to everyone but yourself.

This is why most people remain poor.

‘Every gold piece you save is a slave to work 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.

‘A part of all you earn is yours to keep. It should be not less than a tenth no matter how little you earn

‘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

‘Every fool must learn,’ he growled, ‘but why trust the knowledge of a brickmaker about jewels? Would you go to the breadmaker to inquire about the stars?

Advice is one thing that is freely given away, but watch that you take only what is worth having.

You first learned to live upon less than you could earn. Next you learned to seek advice from those who were competent through their own experiences to give it. And, lastly, you have learned to make gold work for you. ”

Opportunity is a haughty goddess who wastes no time with those who are unprepared.”

“I advise that you take the wisdom of Algamish and say to yourselves, ‘A part of all I earn is mine to keep.’ Say it in the morning when you first arise. Say it at noon. Say it at night. Say it each hour of every day. Say it to yourself until the words stand out like letters of fire across the sky.

Soon you will realize what a rich feeling it is to own a treasure upon which you alone have claim. As it grows it will stimulate you.

“Then learn to make your treasure work for you. Make it your slave. Make its children and its children's children work for you.

A small return and a safe one is far more desirable than risk.

“Enjoy life while you are here. Do not overstrain or try to save too much. If one-tenth of all you earn is as much as you can comfortably keep, be content to keep this portion.

A PART OF ALL YOU EARN IS YOURS TO KEEP.

First must each of you start wisely to build a fortune of his own. Then wilt thou be competent, and only then, to teach these truths to others.

For every ten coins thou placest within thy purse take out for use but nine. Thy purse will start to fatten at once and its increasing weight will feel good in thy hand and bring satisfaction to thy soul.

Now I will tell thee an unusual truth about men and sons of men. It is this; That what each of us calls our ‘necessary expenses’ will always grow to equal our incomes unless we protest to the contrary.

Confuse not the necessary expenses with thy desires.

“All men are burdened with more desires than they can gratify

Let thy motto be one hundred percent of appreciated value demanded for each coin spent.

Keep working with thy budget, keep adjusting it to help thee. Make it thy first assistant in defending thy fattening purse.”

“The purpose of a budget is to help thy purse to fatten.

It is to enable thee to realize thy most cherished desires by defending them from thy casual wishes.

Gold in a purse is gratifying to own and satisfieth a miserly soul but earns nothing.

“I tell you, my students, a man's wealth is not in the coins he carries in his purse; it is the income he buildeth,

the golden stream that continually floweth into his purse and keepeth it always bulging.

“This, then, is the third cure for a lean purse: to put each coin to laboring that it may reproduce its kind even as the flocks of the field and help bring to thee income, a stream of wealth that shall flow constantly into thy purse.”

Guard Thy Treasures From Loss

Gold in a man's purse must be guarded with firmness, else it be lost. Thus it is wise that we must first secure small amounts and learn to protect them before the Gods entrust us with larger.”

“The first sound principle of investment is security for thy principal

fifth cure for a lean purse: Own thy own home”

Provide in advance for the needs of thy growing age and the protection of thy family.”

“He must pay his debts with all the promptness within his power, not purchasing that for which he is unable to pay.

“He must take care of his family that they may think and speak well of him.

“Thus the seventh and last remedy for a lean purse is to cultivate thy own powers, to study and become wiser, to become more skillful, to so act as to respect thyself.

“If a man be lucky, there is no foretelling the possible extent of his good fortune. Pitch him into the Euphrates and like as not he will swim out with a pearl in his hand.” —Babylonian Proverb

good luck waits to come to that man who accepts opportunity

She thinks if a man desires to be lucky he will step quick.

Here by She ,Luck is meant

every man master his own spirit of procrastination before he can expect to share in the rich treasures

good luck follows opportunity

The truth is this: Good luck can be enticed by accepting opportunity.