{"id":44744,"date":"2021-07-31T08:19:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-31T12:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=44744"},"modified":"2021-08-09T11:41:21","modified_gmt":"2021-08-09T15:41:21","slug":"the-richest-man-in-babylon-quotes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-richest-man-in-babylon-quotes\/","title":{"rendered":"The Richest Man in Babylon: Quotes by George Clason"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are you looking for The Richest Man in Babylon<\/a><\/em> quotes by George Clason? What are some of the most noteworthy passages worth revisiting?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Richest Man in Babylon<\/em> by George S. Clason is a financial advice classic written in the 1920s. It distills his advice on how to acquire wealth, which is delivered by a fictional character Arkad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a selection of our top The Richest Man in Babylon<\/em> quotes by George Samuel Clason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Richest Man in Babylon<\/em>: Quotes and Passages <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In his book The Richest Man in Babylon<\/em>, George Clason presents timeless principles for managing your money in the form of \u201cSeven Cures for a Lean Purse\u201d (how to acquire wealth) and \u201cFive Laws of Gold\u201d (how to preserve and grow wealth). The principles are illustrated by parables set thousands of years ago in the wealthy city of Babylon, where the basic ideas of finance were born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following The Richest Man in Babylon<\/em> quotes highlights some of his key lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA part of all I earn is mine to keep.\u2019 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.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

“A part of all I earn is mine to keep”\u2014this is the first of the Seven Cures of a Lean Purse (the financial principles recounted by the main character Arkad). Clason reinforces that only the money you consciously set aside is truly yours. You may think all of your earnings belong to you, but when you don\u2019t save a portion, you give them to everyone but<\/em> yourself. For instance, they go to your grocer, your landlord, your shoemaker, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although you\u2019ll be tempted to spend your savings at times, remember that spending brings only temporary gratification, while saving builds long-term wealth and security. And the person who saves part of his earnings will find it easier to acquire more money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat what each of us calls our \u2018necessary expenses<\/em>\u2019 will always grow to equal our incomes unless we protest to the contrary.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In the second of the Seven Cures of a Lean Purse, Clason’s advice is to determine your necessities and create a budget to cover them, plus a few worthwhile things you enjoy, not exceeding the remaining nine-tenths of your income. Don\u2019t confuse wants with needs. If a pack animal got to choose his burden for a long trip, he\u2019d choose to carry grain, hay, and water\u2014necessities\u2014rather than gold and jewels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live within your means<\/a> or, better yet, live below your means. Should your earnings increase, beware of lifestyle inflation, which is the tendency to increase your spending as your income increases. What you define as necessary will always expand to keep pace with your income unless you resist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember that the purpose of a budget is to grow your wealth while ensuring that you have the necessities and a few things you enjoy\u2014without exceeding nine-tenths of your income. A budget shows you the potential \u201cleaks\u201d in your wallet, so you can stop them by maintaining control of your spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBetter a little caution than a great regret.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This quote is from the parable The Gold Lender of Babylon<\/em> in which Clason teaches the importance of caution when it comes to financial help. In the parable, Rodan, a spear maker, found himself with this dilemma. The king had given him fifty gold pieces because he liked Rodan\u2019s design for a new spear point for his guards. The payment was far more than Rodan expected to receive. Now his sister wanted him to loan money to her husband so he could open a store. Rodan had doubts about the husband\u2019s business acumen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unsure of how to respond, he asked Mathon, a moneylender, for advice. Mathon replied with a parable about an ox and a donkey. The ox complained to the donkey about having to work hard all day plowing the fields, while the donkey had little to do unless the farmer needed a ride somewhere. The ox was tired and wanted to rest, so the donkey advised him to pretend to be sick the next day, so he wouldn\u2019t have to work. The ox did this, so the farmer gave him a day off. But meanwhile, the farmer hitched the donkey to the plow and the donkey ended up doing the ox\u2019s work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lesson is, if you decide to help someone, make sure you don\u2019t end up taking their problem upon yourself<\/strong>. If you loan money to someone who can\u2019t handle it, you might have to step in and do their work to save your investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on his experience as a moneylender, Mathon offered Rodan this additional advice about lending money:<\/p>\n\n\n\n