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The Richest Man in Babylon
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 4 hrs and 4 mins
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Editor reviews
Summary
This inspiring book, began in 1926 as a series of informational pamphlets distributed by banks and insurance companies. By 1927, several of these pamphlets had been compiled into a book and this collection has been in print ever since. It has helped millions of people, and has been hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth.
A modern day classic, The Richest Man in Babylon dispenses financial advice through a collection of parables set in ancient Babylon. These famous "Babylonian parables" offer an understanding of - and solution to - a lifetime's worth of personal financial problems, and holds the secrets to acquiring money, keeping money, and earning more money.
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- Botty
- 19-07-18
Absolutely amazing universal truths!
The richest man in Babylon
Absolutely remarkable!
The book not only immerses the reader into the great times of Babylon, but also truly shares universal wisdom, which many have applied on their way to acquiring abundance.
The one-liner that convinced me to devour the book was the quote:
“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.”
“The thoughts of youth,’ he continued, ‘are bright lights that shine forth like the meteors that oft make brilliant the sky, but the wisdom of age is like the fixed stars that shine so unchanged that the sailor may depend upon them to steer his course.”
All you need to succeed is a great desire! Nothing to start with and only taking the opportunities available to all!
If one does not have gold, it is either because he does not know the laws of gold or cannot observe them.
The book teaches its lessons through
1. Arkad’s journey to wealth through asking a wealthy man for advice -> The five laws of gold
2. Arkad’s test of manhood to his son Nomasir -> Knowledge is more than gold
3. The tale of the ox and the ass (I was surprised to find that this word actually means a horse-like animal :D ) -> If you desire to help thy
friend, do so in a way that will not bring thy friend's burdens upon thyself."
4. The story of Dabasir from slave to free merchant -> all you need is desire and where the determination is, the way can be found
5. Sharru Nada and Hadan Gula -> you create your own luck
THE SIMPLE RULES OF GOLD ACQUISITION
1 . Start thy purse to fattening
2. Control thy expenditures
3. Make thy gold multiply
4. Guard thy treasures from loss
5. Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment
6. Insure a future income
7. Increase thy ability to earn
Two kinds of learning:
1) things we learn and knew.
2) the training that thought us how to find the ones that we don’t know
The magic of willpower:
For now, I had made a habit and it was not difficult.
Lessons from the richest man in Babylon
1. Life on less than you can Earn!!! Not below your means!!! Very important!!!
This means to partition your earnings and to save at least 10%.
As reported by many examples in the book, this is easily doable.
2. Take advice and seek from those who were complemented from their own experiences
3. Learned to make gold work for you
4. Opportunity wastes no time with the unprepared
5. Willpower is not the answer:
1. The answer is to have a very strong desire/vision/why! This is the reason why so many self-help books focus on starting with the vision (having the end in mind)
2. The unflinching purpose to carry a path you have set for yourself to fulfill
3. When set a task for yourself, no matter what, you complete it!!!! For example, if you determine to throw a stone every day into the river, if one day you forget, return and throw the stone. Neither do you give up on the 20th day!
4. Because you have the determination to complete all tasks, be careful not to start difficult and impractical tasks
6. Wealth grows where man exerts energy. Therefore, when a prince creates a palace, the place brings wealth to everyone working on the project, but also enriches the area around it!! Hence, wealth creates wealth.
How to become rich according to Arcad, the richest man in Babylon:
1. 10% of what you earn is yours to keep! Including 10% of the earnings of your earnings%
1. Do not each the children of your efforts
2. Arrange other expenditures
3. Rich feeling to have your own treasure - a new joy of life will thrill you!
2. Learn to make your treasure work for you!! Make it your slave! Make it’s children and it children’s children work for you
3. Ensure an income for thy future
1. Invest treasure with greatest caution so that it is not lost!!
4. Council with wise man!! Seek the advice of man’s whose daily work is handling money
1. Small return and a save one is far more desirable than risk
5. Enjoy life while you are here!! Do not try to strain or save too much!
1. Don’t get afraid to spend! Life is good and life is rich! Just make sure to live according to your income!
2. There are things worth-while and things to enjoy
The seven lesson to fatten your purse:
No man can climb firmly, unless they step firmly on the first step.
1. For each 10 coins I earn, spend 9
1. Gold comes more easily to the person that keeps their gold and does not spend it
2. Control thy expenditure
1. What one calls the necessary expenses will always grow in proportion to your income (other authors refer to this as Parkinson’s law)
The Five Laws of Gold
Arkad did not let his son inherit his fortune, instead he gave him a choice to prove he is worthy:
"A bag heavy with gold or a clay tablet carved with words of wisdom; if thou hadst thy choice,
which wouldst thou choose?"
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.
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92 people found this helpful
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- Gerard
- 21-07-16
A poor story outlying 5 points over and over again
Basically the advice is to save 1 10th of your earnings then invest in into something that will earn your more money. Then save that money.
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30 people found this helpful
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- Beauty Basket
- 05-04-15
Much needed...
Inspiration and a good kick up the ass! Nothing to lose trying this and everything to gain by doing so!
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12 people found this helpful
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- Tom
- 15-10-14
Really glad this is now available in audiobook
Priceless advice and a great story. I must buy for anybody who is looking to improve their finances or just get a better grasp on them
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6 people found this helpful
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- Frederick
- 28-06-17
this is the best I've listened to till date.
heard about this in such dad poor Dad. This was a fantastic listen with old guides, rules and stories that are evergreen. This book in itself is sufficient towards empowering you towards financial independence
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5 people found this helpful
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- Chama
- 28-09-16
Would definitely recommend
It was easy to read and the parables made the teachings more memorable. I'll be reading this again.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Phil
- 09-03-16
Read it.
Work for Money or Make Money work for you. Idiots make the simple complicated, genius makes the most complex simplistic.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Vic
- 17-07-19
THE blueprint
This book is the best financial advice anyone on this planet should receive.
The message of paying yourself first - i.e. setting aside 10% of earnings as savings - is reinforced throughout. Chapters "The Camel Trader of Babylon" and "The Clay Tablets from Babylon" are perfect...PERFECT advice on getting out of debt.
I only wish I came across this book years ago.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Tendi
- 01-02-17
Excellently performed, useful gem of wisdom
This must be quite a difficult book to read, but it is so well performed. The content need no further praise - this is a classic piece that should be read or listened to by everyone.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Kenny Marshall
- 07-11-16
Great for the basics
Great book for covering off the basics in a fable style. I would highly recommend for beginners in self development.
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3 people found this helpful