The Instructor 2.3.39

In general, wealth that is not rightly steered is a citadel of vice; eyeing it covetously, the many would never enter the kingdom of heaven, sick as they are about worldly things and living arrogantly because of their luxuries. Those who hasten to salvation must understand beforehand that all creation is ours for use, and possession for the sake of self-sufficiency, which one could obtain even from a few things. Vain are those who, from insatiability, rejoice in their treasures: “He who gathers wages,” it says, “has gathered into a bag with holes.” This is the one who gathers and shuts up the grain and becomes poorer, who shares with no one. It is a mockery and a broad laugh that men should have silver urinals and glass chamber pots brought to them, as they bring in their counselors, and that these foolishly rich women should make the receptacles of their excrement of gold, so that, being rich, they cannot even relieve themselves without pretension. I would have wished that throughout their whole life they judged gold worthy of dung. As it is, love of money has been found to be the citadel of vice, which the apostle says is the root of all evils, “by craving which some have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” The best wealth is poverty of desires, and true greatness of mind is not to be proud of wealth but to despise it. To boast of vessels is quite shameful; for it is not right to be eager any longer about things anyone who wishes can buy in the market. But wisdom is not bought with earthly coin nor in the market; it is sold in heaven, and sold for true coin, the incorruptible Word, the royal gold.