The Richest Man in Babylon (book)

The Richest Man in Babylon

Author	George S. Clason
Language	English
Subject	Financial Self-help
Publisher	Penguin Books
Publication date	1926
Pages	144

The Richest Man in Babylon is a book by George Samuel Clason which dispenses financial advice through a collection of parables set in ancient Babylon. Through their experiences in business and managing household finance, the characters in the parables learn simple lessons in financial wisdom. Originally a series of separate informational pamphlets distributed by banks and insurance companies, the pamphlets were bound together and published in book form in 1926.

Bansir and Kobbi meet with Arkad, asking him why fate has favored him so much that Arkad has grown rich while they remain poor, even though they've worked harder than Arkad has. Arkad replies that he was once a hard working scribe who made a deal with a very rich man, Algamish, for the secret to wealth in return for a much needed copy of a law immediately scribed into clay. The rich man agreed and the next day, when Arkad delivered the carving, the rich man delivered in return the secret of wealth. "I found the road to wealth," he said, "When I decided that a part of all I earned was mine to keep. And so will you." (emphasis in the original) Arkad then relates that he asked the same question that is undoubtedly on Bansir and Kobbi's minds, "Isn't all that I make mine to keep?" Algamish then said no, that a man had to pay for his clothes, for his food, etc., but that if he regularly saved at least a tenth of his income (and as much more as he could afford to save) and put that money to work earning interest, he would become wealthy.

Arkad relates that he did as advised, saving a tenth of his income for a year, then investing that money with a brickmaker who went on a journey to buy jewels to trade. He related this to Algamish, who castigated Arkad for this foolishness. "Every fool must learn," he said, "But why trust the knowledge of a brickmaker about jewels? Would you go to the breadmaker to inquire about the stars?" Algamish then said, "He who takes advice about his savings from one who is inexperienced in such matters, will pay with his savings for proving the falsity of their opinions." Arkad then saved his money for another year, and he invested it with Agger the shield maker who used it to buy materials; every fourth month Agger paid Arkad rent for the use of these funds. Arkad spent these dividends on fine clothing and regularly scheduled feasts. Algamish comments that Arkad is "eating the children of his savings" by not investing them. Arkad adjusts his behavior and when he finally meets with Algamesh two years later, Algamish is so pleased with how Arkad has taken his lessons to heart, he hires Arkad as a manager of his estate in Nippur. By continuing to save and invest wisely, Arkad relates that he became the wealthy man that he is now.