Lesson from Babylon: How to free yourself from becoming a slave of money to its master

“Ill fortune pursues every man who thinks more of borrowing than repaying.” – George S Classon

The tale that I am about to tell, began Dabasir, relates to my early life and how I came to be a camel trader. I was once a camel trader in Syria. When I was a young man, I learned the trade of my father, the making of saddles.

I worked with him in his shop and took to myself a wife. Being young and not greatly skilled, I could earn but little, just enough to support my excellent wife in a modest way.

I craved good things which I could not afford. Soon I found that the shopkeepers would trust me to pay later even though I could not pay at the time. Being young and without experience I did not know that he who spends more than he earns is sowing the winds of needless self-indulgence from which he is sure to reap the whirlwinds of trouble and humiliation.

So I indulged my good wife and our home, beyond our means.

I paid as I could and for a while all went well. But in time I discovered I could not use my earnings both to live upon and to pay my debts. Creditors began to pursue me to pay for my extravagant purchases and my life became miserable.

Things went from bad to worse. My wife returned to her father and I decided to leave Babylon and seek another city where a young man might have better chances.

For two years I had a restless and unsuccessful life working for caravan traders. From this I fell in with a set of likable robbers who scoured the desert for unarmed caravans. Such deeds were unworthy of the son of my father, but I was seeing the world through the coloured stone and did not realize to what degradation I had fallen.

We met success on our first trip but our second trip we were not so fortunate. Our two leaders were killed, and the rest of us were taken to Damascus where we were stripped of our clothing and sold as slaves.

I was purchased for two pieces of silver by a Syrian desert chief. Being a reckless youth, I thought it merely an adventure until my master took me before his four wives and told them they could have me for a eunuch.

Then indeed, did I realize the hopelessness of my situation. Fearful I stood, as those women looked at me over. I wondered if I could expect a pity from them. Sira, the first wife, was older than the others. Her face was impassive as she looked upon me. I turned from her with little consolation. Each woman appeared willing for the others to do decide.

Finally, Sira spoke up in a large voice. Of eunuchs we have plenty, but of camel tenders we have few and they are a worthless lot. Even this day I would visit my mother who is sick with the fever and there is no slave I would trust to lead my camel. Ask this slave if he can lead a camel.

My master thereupon questioned me. What do you know about camels? Striving to conceal my eagerness, I replied. I can make them kneel, I can load them, I can lead them on long trips without tiring. If need be, I can repair their trappings.

The slave speaks forward enough, observed my master. If thou so desire, Sira, take this man for thy camel tender. So I was turned over to Sira and that day I led her camel upon a long journey to her sick mother. I thanked her for her intercession and also told her that I was not a slave by birth, but the son of a freeman, an honourable saddle-maker of Babylon. I also told her much of my story.

Her comments were disconcerting to me and I pondered much afterwards on what she said.

How can you call yourself a free man when your weakness has brought you to this? If a man has in himself the soul of a slave will he not become one no matter what his birth, even as water seeks its level? If a man has within him the soul of a free man, will he not become respected and honoured in his own city in spite of his misfortune?

For years I was a slave and one day, Sira asked me, In times when other slaves can mingle and enjoy the society of each other, why dost thou sit in thy tent alone?

To which I responded, I am pondering what you have said to me. I wonder if I have the soul of a slave. I cannot join them, so I must sit alone. What think you of me by this time? I asked her suddenly. Have I the soul of a man or the soul of a slave?

Have you a desire to repay the just debts you owe in Babylon? She replied. Yes, I have the desire, but I see no way.

If you contentedly let the years slip by and make no effort to repay, then thou has but the contemptible soul of a slave. No man is otherwise who cannot respect himself and no man can respect himself who does not repay honest debts. She said.

But what can I do, I am a slave in Syria? Asked Debasir

Stay a stay in Syria, thou weakling. Said Sira

I am not a weakling, Debasir denied hotly.

Then prove it. Sira requested

How? Asked Debasir

Does not thy great king fight his enemies in every way he can and with every force he has? Thy debts are thy enemies. They ran thee out of Babylon. Sira Said.

These words changed Debasir’s perspective. Yes it was so. Why had I permitted my wife to go back to her father? He pondered.

Then a strange thing happened. All the world seemed to be of a different color as though I have been looking at it through a different lens. At last, Debasir saw the true values in life.

He made a commitment to go back to Babylon with a strong desire to pay every man to whom he owed an unpaid debt. Next, he promised himself to make a home for his wife and become a citizen of whom his parents would be proud of.

My debts were my enemies, but the men I owed were my friends for they had trusted me and believed in me. Debasir said

Where the determination is, the way can be found, he said. He went back to Babylon and resorted to pay every man he owed. How? You may ask. Remembering that he had been a camel tender in Syria, he thought it’s time to put his knowledge in good use.

Gradually, he was able to pay every copper and every silver. Then at last he could hold up his head and felt like and honourable man among men.

He found his own soul when he realized a great truth, a truth that had been known and used by wise men long before his time. It has led men of all ages out of difficulties and into success and it will continue to do so for those who have the wisdom to understand its magic power. 

It is for many man to use who reads these lines: Where the determination is, the way can be found. The End!