Once, a wealthy old man engaged in both trading and usury, squeezing every penny, yet pretended to disdain wealth. One day, he sat lamenting to a friend:
– Having a lot of wealth does nothing! The more you have, the more you suffer.
His friend replied:
– I only see people who have wealth; those with little wish for more, and those with much always want even more. I’ve never seen anyone complain like you! If you’re suffering so much, why not share some of it with me?
The old man quickly declined:
– Oh no! I wouldn’t dare! I already suffer with what I have; I wouldn’t want to impose that suffering on you!
