On Buying and Selling

And suffer not the barren-handed to take

part in your transactions, who would sell

their words for your labour.

To such men you should say,

“Come with us to the field, or go with

our brothers to the sea and cast your net;

For the land and the sea shall be bountiful

to you even as to us.”

And if there come the singers and the

dancers and the flute players,—buy of their

gifts also.

For they too are gatherers of fruit and

frankincense, and that which they bring,

though fashioned of dreams, is raiment

and food for your soul.

And before you leave the market place,

see that no one has gone his way with

empty hands.

For the master spirit of the earth shall

not sleep peacefully upon the wind till the

needs of the least of you are satisfied.