XII POVERTY AND RICHES

293 (II. 56)
POVERTY AND RICHES

The man who, what he hath, hath not,
To all things stands indifferent,
He is most poor when he is rich,
Most rich when he is indigent.

294 (III. 69)
THE SAINT'S WEALTH

Be poor! On earth the Saint hath naught
Save one thing, which unwillingly
He needs must call his own, to wit,
This Body of Mortality.

295 (II. 148)
THE POOR IN SPIRIT

That man is truly poor who stands
Detached from all things, loose, adrift:
Were God to offer him Himself
I know he would refuse the gift.

296 (III. 139)
MAN FINDETH WHAT HE SEEKETH

The poor man seeketh God, the rich man seeketh wealth:
'Tis gold indeed the poor man finds, the rich man filth.

297 (V. 157)
THE RICH MAN IS TRULY POOR

When of his poverty he maketh much ado,
Doubt not the Rich Man's word—he speaketh what is true.

298 (VI. 185)
OUR WEALTH MUST BE WITHIN US

Be all thy Wealth within thyself.
If lie thy riches otherwhere,
Yea, though thy fortune were the world,
Then art thou rich in naught but Care.

299 (VI. 189)
TO DESIRE EVERYTHING IS TO HAVE NOTHING

Man, if desire for Everything
Possesseth all thy thought,
Then art thou poor as beggars are
And still possessest Naught.

300 (VI. 86)
WHO CRAVETH ALL HATH NAUGHT

Who craveth Naught hath All. Who yearneth to possess
The riches of the world, he still is penniless.

301 (VI. 84)
THE GREATEST WEALTH AND GAIN

Most Wealth hath he who Wealth doth most disdain,
And gaineth most who most renounceth Gain.

302 (VI. 168)
THE WISE MAN HATH NAUGHT IN COFFERS

Naught doth the Wise Man heard in guarded treasuries:
Riches that can be lost he never counteth his.

303 (VI. 99)
THE TREASURY OF THE WISE MAN AND THE MISER

Wise Men are wisely rich—the put
Their gold into a treasure-chest:
The Miser's gold is in his heart—
His heart hath never any rest.

304 (VI. 167)
HE WHO IS TRULY RICH

Much having is not being rich.
The Wealthy Man is he
Who views the loss of all he hath
With equanimity.

305 (VI. 100)
THE WISE MAN FORESTALLS THE THIEF

The Wise Man doth not wait until
His fortune is bereft:
He steals his foretune from himself
And so forestalls the theft.

306 (VI. 103)
NO PROGRESS WHEN HEAVILY LADEN

Storm-foundered seamen jettison
The weightiest cargo in the hold;
And thinkest thou to win to Heaven
O'erladen with a freight of gold?

307 (VI. 179)
HOW MISERS AND WISE MEN ACT

The Miser leaves his gold at last,
Heirs seize on his inheritance:
The Wise Man to the other world
Sends on his riches in advance.

308 (V. 132)
THE UNCONCERNED MAN SUFFERETH NO HURT

The man who in this world claims nothing for his own,
Suffereth no great loss when all his house falls down.

309 (V. 156)
WHO DESIRETH MUCH, LACKETH MUCH

Who hath enough, hath all. Who craveth more and more,
Betrayeth by his want how scanty is his store.

310 (VI. 181)
THE ESTIMATION OF THE FOOL AND THE WISE MAN

The Fool thinks he is rich enough
If he possess a sack of gold:
The Wise Man knoweth he is poor
With riches not the world can hold.