“The Richest Man In Babylon” Book Summary + Lessons + Inspiring Quotes

“The Richest Man in Babylon” by George S. Clason is one of the most famous and informative books on handling financial matters. It is said to reveal the key to acquiring personal wealth.

The book contains parables from the ancient city of Babylon and is narrated by a poor scribe who became “the richest man in Babylon.”

The Richest Man In Babylon Quotes

The prosperity of our nation is directly linked with the personal financial well-being of all our citizens.

Our acts can never be more than our thoughts. Our thinking can never be wiser than our understanding.

Success is our accomplishments as the result of our own efforts and abilities. Proper preparation is the key to our success.

The things we term as our ‘necessary expenses’ will always grow to be equal with our incomes unless we make efforts not to make it so.

Be not misled by thine own romantic desires to make wealth rapidly.

The thing which is freely given away in this world is advice; you need to ensure that what you take is worth having.

Wise advice from a good friend is a priceless gem.

The Goddess of good luck favors men of action.

Learning is of two kinds: the first is the things we already learned about and knew, and the second is the training that helped us find out what we did not know.

Without adequate knowledge and wisdom, gold can be lost by wealthy men; with proper wisdom, gold can be gained by the poor.

The wealth that comes quickly goes away quickly. The wealth that stayeth and giveth pleasure and satisfaction to its earner is earned gradually; it is like a child born of wisdom and dedication to a purpose.

It is better to be cautious now than to regret it later.

Young, inexperienced people do not realize debts are like a deep, dark pit into which one can fall quickly and take many days to struggle.

Perhaps there is some secret we might learn if we but sought from those who knew.

The more hungry and desperate one is, the clearer one’s mind will work- also, the more sensitive one will be to the odors of food.

The more knowledge we have, the more opportunities are to earn. That man who seeks to learn more of his craft shall be richly rewarded. 

Before accomplishment must come to the desire and drive to accomplish that thing, your desires must be definite and powerful.

Willpower is the definite purpose to carry out the task you have set for yourself to complete.

A part of all I earn is mine to keep.’ 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.

The Richest Man In Babylon Quotes

What is the reason we never found the measure of wealth? We never sought it.

Wealth, like a tree, grows from a tiny seed. The first copper you save is the seed from which your tree of wealth shall grow. The quicker you plant that seed, the quicker the tree shall grow. The more faithfully you nourish that tree with regular savings, the quicker it will give the fruit of your labors.

Money is plentiful for those who understand the simple laws which govern its acquisitions.

Provide in advance for the needs of thy growing age and the protection of thy family.

Opportunity is a haughty goddess who wastes no time with those who are unprepared.

A fat purse quickly empties if there is no golden stream to refill it.

Before you decide to invest in any field, make yourself familiar with its dangers and traps. 

All chains of disasters come to an end; you just have to sit tight till the end.

The man who acquires an understanding of his wealth will come to acquire an ever-growing surplus and should think about saving for the future. 

Your desires must be simple and limited. They will defeat their own purpose if there are too many or something beyond your capability to achieve.

A person’s wealth is not the coins he carries around with himself; it is the wealth he builds, the stream of money that flows into his purse continuously and always keeps it fat and bulging. 

One may not condemn a man for succeeding because he knows how. Neither may one take away from someone what he has managed to earn with honest work and give it to people of lesser means.

Enjoy life while you are here. Do not overstrain or try to save too much.

Our wise acts accompany us through life to please and help us. Just as surely, our unwise acts follow us to plague and torment us.

In those things toward which we exerted our best endeavors, we succeeded.

Gold tends to stay in the hands of the cautious ones who are wise enough to invest in the advice of people wise enough to handle it.

Early success is calculated by looking at the money one has. Money makes possible the enjoyment of the best the earth affords.

No one lends his entire fortune, not even to his best friend.

Good luck, we do find, often follows opportunity but seldom comes otherwise.

The seventh and final remedy for a fat purse is to learn more and become wiser, acquire more skills, and trust and respect yourself. 

‘Fickle Fate’ is a vicious goddess who brings no permanent good to anyone. On the contrary, she brings ruin to almost every man upon whom she showers unearned gold.

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