Hard To Be Rich Poem by gershon hepner

It’s hard to be rich if you’re friendly and generous;
hate, and be angry, to guard like mons veneris
your wealth which you should love as much as your life,
or pleasures you get from your mistress and wife.


Inspired by epigram xiii in Book XII or Martial Epigram’s:

Genus, Aucte, lucri divites habent iram:
odisse quam donare vilius constat.

James Michie translates this in two lines:

The rich know anger helps the cost of living:
Hating’s more economical than giving.


2/22/08