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Quote by Miriam Lichtheim

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Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume I: The Old and Middle Kingdoms

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Miriam Lichtheim

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“See, he who slept wifeless found a noblewoman, He who was not seen stands. See, he who had nothing is a man of wealth. The nobleman sings his praise. See, the poor of the land have become rich, The man of property is a pauper. See, cooks have become masters of butlers, He who was a messenger sends someone else. See, he who had no loaf owns a barn. His storeroom is filled with another’s goods. See, the baldhead who lacked oil Has become owner of jars of sweet myrrh. See, she who lacked a box has furniture. She who saw her face in the water owns a mirror.”

“Wealth is what Nature gives us and what a reasonable man can make out of the gifts of Nature for his reasonable use. The sunlight, the fresh air, the unspoiled face of the earth, food, raiment and housing necessary and decent; the storing up of knowledge of all kinds, and the power of disseminating it; means of free communication between man and man; works of art, the beauty which man creates when he is most a man, most aspiring and thoughtful--all things which serve the pleasure of people ... This is wealth. Nor can I think of anything worth having which does not come under one or other of these heads. But think, I beseech you, of the product of ... the workshop of the world, and will you not be bewildered, as I am, at the thought of the mass of things which no sane man could desire, but which our useless toil makes -- and sells?”

“Instead of expecting an ideal world, we must learn to live in the real world. Instead of making our life miserable for the sake of others, we must learn to make our own lives joyful. We can give only what we have. If we are unhappy, we can’t make others happy. When we have no love in our heart, we can’t love anyone. You can’t gift wealth to anyone unless you earn it yourself.”