囤积黄金的人走在宫殿的公园里，他的烦恼也跟着走。他的头上盘旋着忧虑，就像秃鹰盘旋在尸体上一样，直到他来到一个美丽的湖泊，周围是宏伟的大理石雕像。他坐在那里，沉思着从石像的嘴里流出来的水，就像一个情人的想象中自由流动的思想，沉思着他的宫殿，它坐落在一个小山丘上，就像一个少女脸颊上的胎记。他的想象力向他展示了他人生戏剧的一页页，他泪流满面地读着，泪水遮住了他的眼睛，使他看不到人类对自然所作的微弱的补充。他带着深切的悔恨回顾着他早年生活的画面，这些画面被众神编织成图案，直到他再也无法控制自己的痛苦。他大声说:“昨天，我在青翠的山谷里放着羊，吹着笛子，昂着头，享受着我的存在。今天我是贪婪的囚徒。金子会让人变成金子，然后让人焦躁不安，最后让人陷入极度的痛苦。“昨天我像一只会唱歌的鸟儿，在田野里自由地飞来飞去。今天，我成了变幻无常的财富、社会的规则、城市的风俗和买来的朋友的奴隶，通过遵从人类奇特而狭隘的法则来取悦人们。 I was born to be free and enjoy the bounty of life, but I find myself like a beast of burden so heavily laden with gold that his back is breaking. "Where are the spacious plains, the singing brooks, the pure breeze, the closeness of Nature? Where is my deity? I have lost all! Naught remains save loneliness that saddens me, gold that ridicules me, slaves who curse to my back, and a palace that I have erected as a tomb for my happiness, and in whose greatness I have lost my heart. "Yesterday I roamed the prairies and the hills together with the Bedouin's daughter; Virtue was our companion, Love our delight, and the moon our guardian. Today I am among women with shallow beauty who sell themselves for gold and diamonds. "Yesterday I was carefree, sharing with the shepherds all the joy of life; eating, playing, working, singing, and dancing together to the music of the heart's truth. Today I find myself among the people like a frightened lamb among the wolves. As I walk in the roads, they gaze at me with hateful eyes and point at me with scorn and jealousy, and as I steal through the park I see frowning faces all about me. "Yesterday I was rich in happiness and today I am poor in gold. "Yesterday I was a happy shepherd looking upon his head as a merciful king looks with pleasure upon his contented subjects. Today I am a slave standing before my wealth, my wealth which robbed me of the beauty of life I once knew. "Forgive me, my Judge! I did not know that riches would put my life in fragments and lead me into the dungeons of harshness and stupidity. What I thought was glory is naught but an eternal inferno." He gathered himself wearily and walked slowly toward the palace, sighing and repeating, "Is this what people call wealth? Is this the god I am serving and worshipping? Is this what I seek of the earth? Why can I not trade it for one particle of contentment? Who would sell me one beautiful thought for a ton of gold? Who would give me one moment of love for a handful of gems? Who would grant me an eye that can see others' hearts, and take all my coffers in barter?" As he reached the palace gates he turned and looked toward the city as Jeremiah gazed toward Jerusalem. He raised his arms in woeful lament and shouted, "Oh people of the noisome city, who are living in darkness, hastening toward misery, preaching falsehood, and speaking with stupidity...until when shall you remain ignorant? Unit when shall you abide in the filth of life and continue to desert its gardens? Why wear you tattered robes of narrowness while the silk raiment of Nature's beauty is fashioned for you? The lamp of wisdom is dimming; it is time to furnish it with oil. The house of true fortune is being destroyed; it is time to rebuild it and guard it. The thieves of ignorance have stolen the treasure of your peace; it is time to retake it!" At that moment a poor man stood before him and stretched forth his hand for alms. As he looked at the beggar, his lips parted, his eyes brightened with a softness, and his face radiated kindness. It was as if the yesterday he had lamented by the lake had come to greet him. He embraced the pauper with affection and filled his hands with gold, and with a voice sincere with the sweetness of love he said, "Come back tomorrow and bring with you your fellow sufferers. All your possessions will be restored." He entered his palace saying, "Everything in life is good; even gold, for it teaches a lesson. Money is like a stringed instrument; he who does not know how to use it properly will hear only discordant music. Money is like love; it kills slow