The Richest Man in Babylon / Самый богатый человек в Вавилоне

Even the rich were forced to turn into the gutters to clear the way for the long lines of slave water carriers, on the “King's Business,” each bearing a heavy goatskin of water to be poured upon the hanging gardens.

Bansir was too engrossed in his own problem to hear or heed the confused hubbub of the busy city. It was the unexpected twanging of the strings from a familiar lyre that aroused him from his reverie. He turned and looked into the sensitive, smiling face of his best friend-Kobbi, the musician.

“May the Gods bless thee with great liberality, my good friend,” began Kobbi with an elaborate salute. “Yet, it does appear they have already been so generous thou needest not to labor. I rejoice with thee in thy good fortune. More, I would even share it with thee. Pray, from thy purse which must be bulging else thou wouldst be busy in your shop, extract but two humble shekels and lend them to me until after the noblemen's feast this night.

Thou wilt not miss them ere they are returned.”

“If I did have two shekels,” Bansir responded gloomily, “to no one could I lend them-not even to you, my best of friends; for they would be my fortune-my entire fortune. No one lends his entire fortune, not even to his best friend.”

“What,” exclaimed Kobbi with genuine surprise, “Thou hast not one she-kel in thy purse, yet sit like a statue upon a wall! Why not complete that chariot? How else canst thou provide for thy noble appetite? Tis not like thee, my friend.

Where is thy endless energy? Doth something distress thee? Have the Gods brought to thee troubles?”

“A torment from the Gods it must be,” Bansir agreed. “It began with a dream, a senseless dream, in which I thought I was a man of means. From my belt hung a handsome purse, heavy with coins. There were shekels which I cast with careless freedom to the beggars; there were pieces of silver with which I did buy finery for my wife and whatever I did desire for myself; there were pieces of gold which made me feel assured of the future and unafraid to spend the silver.

A glorious feeling of contentment was within me! You would not have known me for thy hardworking friend. Nor wouldst have known my wife, so free from wrinkles was her face and shining with happiness. She was again the smiling maiden of our early married days.