The Luckiest Man in Babylon 2
This is the last chapter of The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Classon. Please send me any questions or topics that you would like me to discuss in after completing this book.
Characters:
Sharru Nada – The Merchant Prince of Babylon
Arad Gula – Sharru’s partner
Hadan Gula – Arad’s grandson
Hadan isn’t the first person that I meet who dreams about living like a prince, who lives a flashy lifestyle and proclaims “work is for slaves”, but actually are slaves of bad habits. But let’s see how the story unfolds.
As you can imagine, Sharru is more than irritated about Hadan’s comment about work and slaves, but he bit his tongue and did not comment or talk any more. Finally they reached the valley in which Babylon was situated.
Hadan is very glad, because he always dreamt of seeing Babylon, as it was the city where his grandfather started. He says this with a wishful sigh: “Would he (Arad) were still alive. We would not be so sorely pressed.”
Sharru says nobody should wish for any person’s spirit to linger on earth longer than his allotted time. He suggests that Hadan and his dad continue where Arad left off. Hadan makes this admission: “Alas, of us, neither has his gift. Father and myself know not his secret for attracting the golden shekels.”
Unfortunately, it is not only true of the very rich, but of many “normal” people. Parents grow up in middle to lower income homes and with sheer tenacity and hard work climb the ladder of financial success. Then they have the attitude: “I don’t want my children to suffer the way I did.” And in the process they pave the way to exactly the destination they want to avoid! The children never learn the skills they need to be financially successful, like the parents. I could actually name a few cases, but I won’t!
As they enter into the city, Sharu sees 3 old men ploughing a field. He thinks it is impossible that the same people can still plough the same field after 40 years, but then realise it is the same people. He thinks back to the time he first saw them and how he envied them their work. But now, forty years later, he does not want to swop places with them.
He pointed to the ploughers tells Hadan the story of the 40 year ploughers.
Hadan replies: “They look it, but why thinkest thou they are the same?”
And tomorrow we hear the answer and learn something more about Sharru’s life.