Are there no slaves upon the market, and no free women who desire ornaments and ease and the purple of Tyre?
You are young, Prince, to say that gold cannot buy us love." "And you, Metem, who are growing old, do not understand what I mean by love, nor will I stay to explain it to you, for were my words as wise as Solomon's, still you would not understand.

At the least your money cannot bring you the blessing of Heaven, nor the welfare of your spirit in the eternal life that is to come." "The welfare of my spirit, Prince?
No, it cannot, since I do not believe that I have a spirit.

When I die, I die, and there is an end.

But the blessing of Heaven, ah! that can be bought, as I have proved once and again, if not with gold, then otherwise.

Did I not in bygone years pass the first son of my manhood through the fire to Baal-Sidon?
Nay, shrink not from me; it cost me dear, but my fortune was at stake, and better that the boy should die than that all of us should live on in penury and bonds.