3.31.2008
The Richest Man in Babylon - Part Six
The Five Laws of Gold
"A bag heavy with gold or a clay tablet carved with words
of wisdom; if thou hadst thy choice, which wouldst thou
choose?"
By the flickering light from the fire of desert shrubs, the
sun-tanned faces of the listeners gleamed with interest.
"The gold, the gold," chorused the twenty-seven.
Old Kalabab smiled knowingly.
"Hark," he resumed, raising his hand. "Hear the wild dogs
out there in the night. They howl and wail because they are
lean with hunger. Yet feed them, and what do they? Fight
and strut. Then fight and strut some more, giving no
thought to the morrow that will surely come.
"Just so it is with the sons of men. Give them a choice of
gold and wisdom—what do they do? Ignore the wisdom
and waste the gold. On the morrow they wail because they
have no more gold.
"Gold is reserved for those who know its laws and abide by
them."
Kalabab drew his white robe close about his lean legs, for a
cool night wind was blowing.
"Because thou hast served me faithfully upon our long
journey, because thou cared well for my camels, because
thou toiled uncomplainingly across the hot sands of the
desert, because thou fought bravely the robbers that sought
to despoil my merchandise, I will tell thee this night the
tale of the five laws of gold, such a tale as thou never hast
heard before.
"Hark ye, with deep attention to the words I speak, for if
you grasp their meaning and heed them, in the days that
come thou shalt have much gold."
He paused impressively. Above in a canopy of blue, the
stars shone brightly in the crystal clear skies of Babylonia.
Behind the group loomed their faded tents tightly staked
against possible desert storms. Beside the tents were neatly
stacked bales of merchandise covered with skins. Nearby
the camel herd sprawled in the sand, some chewing their
cuds contentedly, others snoring in hoarse discord.
"Thou hast told us many good tales, Kalabab," spoke up the
chief packer. "We look to thy wisdom to guide us upon the
morrow when our service with thee shall be at an end."
"I have but told thee of my adventures in strange and
distant lands, but this night I shall tell thee of the wisdom
of Arkad, the wise rich man."
"Much have we heard of him," acknowledged the chief
packer, "for he was the richest man that ever lived in
Babylon."
"The richest man he was, and that because be was wise in
the ways of gold, even as no man had ever been before him.
This night shall I tell you of his great wisdom as it was told
to me by Nomasir, his son, many years ago in Nineveh,
when I was but a lad.
"My master and myself had tarried long into the night in
the palace of Nomasir. I had helped my master bring great
bundles of fine rugs, each one to be tried by Nomasir until
his choice of colors was satisfied. At last he was well
pleased and commanded us to sit with him and to drink a
rare vintage odorous to the nostrils and most warming to
my stomach, which was unaccustomed to such a drink.
"Then, did he tell us this tale of the great wisdom of Arkad,
his father, even as I shall tell it to you.
"In Babylon it is the custom, as you know, that the sons of
wealthy fathers live with their parents in expectation of
inheriting the estate. Arkad did not approve of this custom.
Therefore, when Nomasir reached man's estate, he sent for
the young man and addressed him:
" 'My son, it is my desire that thou succeed to my estate.
Thou must, however, first prove that thou art capable of
wisely handling it. Therefore, I wish that thou go out into
the world and show thy ability both to acquire gold and to
make thyself respected among men.
" 'To start thee well, I will give thee two things of which I,
myself, was denied when I started as a poor youth to build
up a fortune.
" 'First, I give thee this bag of gold. If thou use it wisely, it
will be the basis of thy future success.
" 'Second, I give thee this clay tablet upon which is carved
the five laws of gold. If thou dost but interpret them in thy
own acts, they shall bring thee competence and security.
" 'Ten years from this day come thou back to the house of
thy father and give account of thyself. If thou prove worthy,
I will then make thee the heir to my estate. Otherwise, I
will give it to the priests that they may barter for my soul
the land consideration of the gods.'
"So Nomasir went forth to make his own way, taking his
bag of gold, the clay tablet carefully wrapped in silken
cloth, his slave and the horses upon which they rode.
"The ten years passed, and Nomasir, as he had agreed,
returned to the house of his father who provided a great
feast in his honor, to which he invited many friends and
relatives. After the feast was over, the father and mother
mounted their throne-like seats at one side of the great hall,
and Nomasir stood before them to give an account of
himself as he had promised his father.
It was evening. The room was hazy with smoke from the
wicks of the oil lamps that but dimly lighted it. Slaves in
white woven jackets and tunics fanned the humid air
rhythmically with long-stemmed palm leaves. A stately
dignity colored the scene. The wife of Nomasir and his two
young sons, with friends and other members of the family,
sat upon rugs behind him, eager listeners.
" 'My father,' he began deferentially, I bow before thy
wisdom. Ten years ago when I stood at the gates of
manhood, thou bade me go forth and become a man among
men, instead of remaining a vassal to thy fortune.
" 'Thou gave me liberally of thy gold. Thou gave me
liberally of thy wisdom. Of the gold, alas! I must admit of a
disastrous handling. It fled, indeed, from my inexperienced
hands even as a wild hare flees at the first opportunity from
the youth who captures it.'
"The father smiled indulgently. 'Continue, my son, thy tale
interests me in all its details.'
" 'I decided to go to Nineveh, as it was a growing city,
believing that I might find there opportunities. I joined a
caravan and among its members made numerous friends.
Two well-spoken men who had a most beautiful white
horse as fleet as the wind were among these.
" 'As we journeyed, they told me in confidence that in
Nineveh was a wealthy man who owned a horse so swift
that it had never been beaten. Its owner believed that no
horse living could run with greater speed. Therefore, would
he wager any sum however large that his horse could
outspeed any horse in all Babylonia. Compared to their
horse, so my friends said, it was but a lumbering ass that
could be beaten with ease.
" 'They offered, as a great favor, to permit me to join them
in a wager. I was quite carried away with the plan.
" 'Our horse was badly beaten and I lost much of my gold.'
The father laughed. 'Later, I discovered that this was a
deceitful plan of these men and they constantly journeyed
with caravans seeking victims. You see, the man in
Nineveh was their partner and shared with them the bets he
won. This shrewd deceit taught me my first lesson in
looking out for myself.
" 'I was soon to learn another, equally bitter. In the caravan
was another young man with whom I became quite
friendly. He was the son of wealthy parents and, like
myself, journeying to Nineveh to find a suitable location.
Not long after our arrival, he told me that a merchant had
died and his shop with its rich merchandise and patronage
could be secured at a paltry price. Saying that we would be
equal partners but first he must return to Babylon to secure
his gold, he prevailed upon me to purchase the stock with
my gold, agreeing that his would be used later to carry on
our venture.
" 'He long delayed the trip to Babylon, proving in the
meantime to be an unwise buyer and a foolish spender. I
finally put him out, but not before the business had
deteriorated to where we had only unsalable goods and no
gold to buy other goods. I sacrificed what was left to an
Israelite for a pitiful sum.
" 'Soon there followed, I tell you, my father, bitter days. I
sought employment and found it not, for I was without
trade or training that would enable me to earn. I sold my
horses. I sold my slave. I sold my extra robes that I might
have food and a place to sleep, but each day grim want
crouched closer.
" 'But in those bitter days, I remembered thy confidence in
me, my father. Thou hadst sent me forth to become a man,
and this I was determined to accomplish.' The mother
buried her face and wept softly.
" 'At this time, I bethought me of the table thou had given
to me upon which thou had carved the five laws of gold.
Thereupon, I read most carefully thy words of wisdom, and
realized that had I but sought wisdom first, my gold would
not have been lost to me. I learned by heart each law and
determined that, when once more the goddess of good
fortune smiled upon me, I would be guided by the wisdom
of age and not by the inexperience of youth.
" 'For the benefit of you who are seated here this night, I
will read the wisdom of my father as engraved upon the
clay tablet which he gave to me ten years ago:
THE FIVE LAWS OF GOLD
I. Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantity to any man who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.
II. Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as the flocks of the field.
III. Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling.
IV. Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it in businesses or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.
V. Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment.
" 'These are the five laws of gold as written by my father. I
do proclaim them as of greater value than gold itself, as I
will show by the continuance of my tale.'
"He again faced his father. 'I have told thee of the depth of
poverty and despair to which my inexperience brought me.
" 'However, there is no chain of disasters that will not come
to an end. Mine came when I secured employment
managing a crew of slaves working upon the new outer
wall of the city.
" 'Profiting from my knowledge of the first law of gold, I
saved a copper from my first earnings, adding to it at every
opportunity until I had a piece of silver. It was a slow
procedure, for one must live. I did spend grudgingly, I
admit, because I was determined to earn back before the ten
years were over as much gold as you, my father, had given
to me.
" 'One day the slave master, with whom I had become quite
friendly, said to me: "Thou art a thrifty youth who spends
not wantonly what he earns. Hast thou gold put by that is
not earning?"
" 'Yes,' I replied, 'It is my greatest desire to accumulate
gold to replace that which my father gave to me and which
I have lost.'
" 'Tis a worthy ambition, I will grant, and do you know that
the gold which you have saved can work for you and earn
much more gold?"
" 'Alas! my experience has been bitter, for my father's gold
has fled from me, and I am in much fear lest my own do the
same.'
" 'If thou hast confidence in me, I will give thee a lesson in
the profitable handling of gold," he replied. "Within a year
the outer wall will be complete and ready for the great
gates of bronze that will be built at each entrance to protect
the city from the king's enemies. In all Nineveh there is not
enough metal to make these gates and the king has not
thought to provide it. Here is my plan: A group of us will
pool our gold and send a caravan to the mines of copper
and tin, which are distant, and bring to Nineveh the metal
for the gates. When the king says, 'Make the great gates,'
we alone can supply the metal and a rich price he will pay.
If the king will not buy from us, we will yet have the metal
which can be sold for a fair price."
" 'In his offer I recognized an opportunity to abide by the
third law and invest my savings under the guidance of wise
men. Nor was I disappointed. Our pool was a success, and
my small store of gold was greatly increased by the
transaction.
" 'In due time, I was accepted as a member of this same
group in other ventures. They were men wise in the
profitable handling of gold. They talked over each plan
presented with great care, before entering upon it. They
would take no chance on losing their principal or tying it up
in unprofitable investments from which their gold could not
be recovered. Such foolish things as the horse race and the
partnership into which I had entered with my inexperience
would have had scant consideration with them. They would
have immediately pointed out their weaknesses.
" 'Through my association with these men, I learned to
safely invest gold to bring profitable returns. As the years
went on, my treasure increased more and more rapidly. I
not only made back as much as I lost, but much more.
" 'Through my misfortunes, my trials and my success, I
have tested time and again the wisdom of the five laws of
gold, my father, and have proven them true in every test.
To him who is without knowledge of the five laws, gold
comes not often, and goeth away quickly. But to him who
abide by the five laws, gold comes and works as his dutiful
slave.'
"Nomasir ceased speaking and motioned to a slave in the
back of the room. The slave brought forward, one at a time,
three heavy leather bags. One of these Nomasir took and
placed upon the floor before his father addressing him
again:
" 'Thou didst give to me a bag of gold, Babylon gold.
Behold in its place, I do return to thee a bag of Nineveh
gold of equal weight An equal exchange, as all will agree.
" 'Thou didst give to me a clay tablet inscribed with
wisdom. Behold, in its stead, I do return two bags of gold.'
So saying, he took from the slave the other two bags and,
likewise, placed them upon the floor before his father.
" 'This I do to prove to thee, my father, of how much
greater value I consider thy wisdom than thy gold. Yet,
who can measure in bags of gold, the value of wisdom?
Without wisdom, gold is quickly lost by those who have it,
but with wisdom, gold can be secured by those who have it
not, as these three bags of gold do prove.
" 'It does, indeed, give to me the deepest satisfaction, my
father, to stand before thee and say that, because of thy
wisdom, I have been able to become rich and respected
before men.'
"The father placed his hand fondly upon the head of
Nomasir. 'Thou hast learned well thy lessons, and I am,
indeed, fortunate to have a son to whom I may entrust my
wealth.' "
Kalabab ceased his tale and looked critically at his
listeners.
"What means this to thee, this tale of Nomasir?" he
continued.
"Who amongst thee can go to thy father or to the father of
thy wife and give an account of wise handling of his
earnings?
"What would these venerable men think were you to say: 'I
have traveled much and learned much and labored much
and earned much, yet alas, of gold I have little. Some I
spent wisely, some I spent foolishly and much I lost in
unwise ways.'
"Dost still think it but an inconsistency of fate that some
men have much gold and others have naught? Then you err.
"Men have much gold when they know the five laws of
gold and abide thereby.
"Because I learned these five laws in my youth and abided
by them, I have become a wealthy merchant. Not by some
strange magic did I accumulate my wealth.
"Wealth that comes quickly goeth the same way.
"Wealth that stayeth to give enjoyment and satisfaction to
its owner comes gradually, because it is a child born of
knowledge and persistent purpose.
"To earn wealth is but a slight burden upon the thoughtful
man. Bearing the burden consistently from year to year
accomplishes the final purpose.
"The five laws of gold offer to thee a rich reward for their
observance.
"Each of these five laws is rich with meaning and lest thou
overlook this in the briefness of my tale, I will now repeat
them. I do know them each by heart because in my youth, I
could see their value and would not be content until I knew
them word for word.
The First Law of Gold
Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantity to any man
who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to
create an estate for his future and that of his family.
"Any man who will put by one-tenth of his earnings
consistently and invest it wisely will surely create a
valuable estate that will provide an income for him in the
future and further guarantee safety for his family in case the
gods call him to the world of darkness. This law always
sayeth that gold cometh gladly to such a man. I can truly
certify this in my own life. The more gold I accumulate, the
more readily it comes to me and in increased quantities.
The gold which I save earns more, even as yours will, and
its earnings earn more, and this is the working out of the
first law."
The Second Law of Gold
Gold laboreth diligently and contentedly for the wise owner
who finds for it profitable employment, multiplying even as
the flocks of the field.
"Gold, indeed, is a willing worker. It is ever eager to
multiply when opportunity presents itself. To every man
who hath a store of gold set by, opportunity comes for its
most profitable use. As the years pass, it multiplies itself in
surprising fashion."
The Third Law of Gold
Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who
invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling.
"Gold, indeed, clingeth to the cautious owner, even as it
flees the careless owner. The man who seeks the advice of
men wise in handling gold soon learneth not to jeopardize
his treasure, but to preserve in safety and to enjoy in
contentment its consistent increase."
The Fourth Law of Gold
Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it in
businesses or purposes with which he is not familiar or
which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.
To the man who hath gold, yet is not skilled in its handling,
many uses for it appear most profitable. Too often these are
fraught with danger of loss, and if properly analyzed by
wise men, show small possibility of profit. Therefore, the
inexperienced owner of gold who trusts to his own
judgment and invests it in business or purposes with which
he is not familiar, too often finds his judgment imperfect,
and pays with his treasure for his inexperience. Wise,
indeed is he who investeth his treasures under the advice of
men skilled In the ways of gold."
The Fifth Law of Gold
Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible
earnings or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters
and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and
romantic desires in investment.
"Fanciful propositions that thrill like adventure tales always
come to the new owner of gold. These appear to endow his
treasure with magic powers that will enable it to make
impossible earnings. Yet heed ye the wise men for verily
they know the risks that lurk behind every plan to make
great wealth suddenly.
"Forget not the rich men of Nineveh who would take no
chance of losing their principal or tying it up in
unprofitable investments.
"This ends my tale of the five laws of gold. In telling it to
thee, I have told the secrets of my own success.
"Yet, they are not secrets but truths which every man must
first learn and then follow who wishes to step out of the
multitude that, like you wild dogs, must worry each day for
food to eat.
"Tomorrow, we enter Babylon. Look! See the fire that
burns eternal above the Temple of Bel! We are already in
sight of the golden city. Tomorrow, each of thee shall have
gold, the gold thou has so well earned by thy faithful
services.
"Ten years from this night, what can you tell about this
gold?
"If there be men among you, who, like Nomasir, will use a
portion of their gold to start for themselves an estate and be
thenceforth wisely guided by the wisdom of Arkad, ten
years from now, 'tis a safe wager, like the son of Arkad,
they will be rich and respected among men.
"Our wise acts accompany us through life to please us and
to help us. Just as surely, our unwise acts follow us to
plague and torment us. Alas, they cannot be forgotten. In
the front rank of the torments that do follow us are the
memories of the things we should have done, of the
opportunities which came to us and we took not.
"Rich are the treasures of Babylon, so rich no man can
count their value in pieces of gold. Each year, they grow
richer and more valuable. Like the treasures of every land,
they are a reward, a rich reward awaiting those men of
purpose who determine to secure their just share.
"In the strength of thine own desires is a magic power.
Guide this power with thy knowledge of the five laws of
gold and thou shall share the treasures of Babylon."
Part Six is Over. Next is Part Seven.
Part: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, The End.
Nicholas Longo - Entrepreneur. Pioneer. CEO. Founder.
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Nicholas Longo 11:55 PM
