The Richest Man in Babylon - Part 1: Ancient Secrets for Modern Wallets
Learn the timeless rules of wealth that everyone can follow, even today.
The Middle-Class Struggle
“Uncle,” Bunny said, staring at his empty wallet,
“salary day feels like a festival… but by the next week, my life is already back to fasting.”
That’s the middle-class routine:
Day 1: Salary credited, small celebrations (meetha hai khana aaj phehli tareek hai)
Day 5: Rent, EMIs, and bills line up like hungry relatives.
Day 10: Grocery and petrol quietly empty the pockets.
Rest of the month: pure adjustment, waiting for the next credit message.
For most of us, the salary never stays long enough to feel like ours.
The Helpless Bunny
Bunny leaned in, almost whispering:
“Uncle… tell me honestly. Is wealth only for the lucky? Business families, lottery winners, Dubai uncles? People like us will always just survive, right?”
I smiled. “Bunny, today you remind me of a man from history - Arkad, he was ‘The Richest Man in Babylon’. But Arkad also started with empty pockets… just like most of us.”
1. The First Lesson
Bunny raised an eyebrow. “Empty pockets? Then how did Arkad become ‘The Richest Man in Babylon’?”
“Not by luck,” I said. “Arkad was just a poor scribe. But he desperately wanted wealth. Arkad met a moneylender, Algamish, who gave him rules that changed his life - and can change yours too.”
Bunny leaned forward. “What rules?”
I smiled:
“First Rule, A part of all you earn is yours to keep. At least 10%. Save before you spend.”
Bunny blinked. “Wait, you mean wealth creation starts before I pay the bills, not after?”
“Exactly,” I nodded. “If you earn ₹50,000, the first ₹5,000 is untouchable. It belongs to your future, not your current cravings.”
2. Controlling Desires
Bunny frowned. “But Uncle, what about expenses? They eat everything!”
I laughed. “Bunny, expenses are like Social Media ads - endless. You have to learn to skip them.”
That’s exactly what Arkad did. He separated needs from wants. He didn’t let desires run the show.
Bunny sighed. “So… less online shopping, more self-control?”
“Correct,” I said, “because no one gets rich chasing every discount notification.”
3. Making Money Work
I continued, “Arkad didn’t just save. He invested. He made his money work harder than himself.”
“In today’s language - SIPs, index funds, safe investments. Money has no Sunday breaks, no chai breaks. Let it earn even when you sleep.”
Bunny’s eyes widened. “So I don’t have to work harder… my money does?”
“Exactly,” I said. “You work for money only once. But if you invest right, money works for you forever.”
4. Guarding Wealth
“Uncle,” Bunny whispered, “my friend gave me a hot stock tip…”
I shook my head. “And Arkad warned against exactly that. Protect your gold. Don’t gamble it away. WhatsApp University and get-rich-quick schemes are just modern versions of Babylon’s bad deals.”
Bunny laughed nervously. “So my friend’s ‘guaranteed money double’ plan…?”
“Will guarantee only one thing – 100% regret.”
5. Seeking Wise Counsel
“Another law Arkad followed,” I explained, “was learning from the wise. He didn’t ask money advice from broke friends. He asked men who had already built wealth.”
Bunny nodded slowly. “So I shouldn’t be listening to my colleague who is always broke just like me every month?”
“Exactly,” I said.
Bunny’s Transformation
By now Bunny’s face looked calmer.
“So you’re saying, Uncle… even someone like me can be rich if I follow these rules?”
“Yes, Bunny,” I replied. “Wealth is not about luck or inheritance. It’s about small, repeatable habits. Arkad proved it in Babylon. You can prove it in modern time.”
Dear Reader, you are Arkad
Bunny stood up and said with new confidence,
“From my next salary, 10% is mine. Not for bills, not for Netflix, not for food apps. Only For my future.”
And that’s how, Dear Reader, you can become Arkad in your own life.
“From Babylon to Delhi: Money Lessons Never Expire.”
“Money shouldn’t just visit you on salary day - it should live with you, month after month.”
So tell me - do you already save 10% of your income?
Share your answer in the comments.
See you every Sunday at 09:15 AM.
Read ‘The Richest Man in Babylon - Part 2’
Read ‘The Richest Man in Babylon - Part 3’
Hope this blog adds real value to your long-term investing journey.
If YES, Maybe you treat Uncle with a cup of Tea?
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Any person referred to in this post is purely coincidental. The characters, names, and situations mentioned are for illustrative and educational purposes only and are not intended to represent any real individual.
‘Investing Uncle’ is NISM Series V-A Certified (Mutual Fund Distributor’s Certification Examination) conducted by National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM).
Investing Uncle is not SEBI/AMFI Registered.