Benjamin Franklin Quotes
Most popular Benjamin Franklin Quotes
He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another, than he whom you yourself have obliged.
Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.
'Tis easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.
Time is money.
Old habits die hard.
Today is yesterday's pupil.
A fat kitchen, a lean will.
The muses love the morning.
Man is a tool-making animal.
Remember that time is money.
Success has ruined many a man.
I am in the prime of senility.
Let thy vices die before thee.
Lost time is never found again.
Half truth is often a great lie.
A penny saved is a penny earned.
Plow deep while sluggards sleep.
A full belly makes a dull brain.
You may delay, but time will not.
Without justice, courage is weak.
Nothing dries sooner than a tear.
There are no gains without pains.
The morning has gold in its mouth.
Many foxes grow, but few grow good.
What begins in anger ends in shame.
Well done is better than well said.
No nation was ever ruined by trade.
Necessity never made a good bargain.
Beauty and folly are old companions.
Never ruin an apology with an excuse.
Diligence is the mother of good luck.
A man in a passion rides a mad horse.
A true Friend is the best Possession.
Some are wise, and some are otherwise.
Fish and visitors smell in three days.
Kill no more pigeons than you can eat.
The early bird catches the early worm.
To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.
The rotten apple spoils its companions.
One who lives on hopes will die fasting.
Most fools think they are only ignorant.
God heals, and the doctor takes the fee.
The discontented man finds no easy chair.
Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.
The golden age never was the present age.
He that lives upon hope will die fasting.
He is ill clothed that is bare of virtue.
Drive thy business, or it will drive thee.
There never was a good war or a bad peace.
Happy is the country which has no history.
If you would be loved, love and be lovable.
Vice knows she's ugly, so puts on her Mask.
Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee.
A good conscience is a continual Christmas.
Praise to the undeserving is severe satire.
All would live long, but none would be old.
Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries.
Creditors have better memories than debtors.
He that speaks ill of the mare will buy her.
Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion.
He does not possess wealth; it possesses him.
If passion drives, let reason hold the reins.
An old young man will become a young old man.
A man who multiplies riches multiplies cares.
He may well win the race that runs by himself.
Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.
We may give advice, but we cannot give conduct.
Leisure is the time for doing something useful.
The best of all medicines are rest and fasting.
A place for everything, everything in its place.
Even peace may be purchased at too high a price.
Love your enemies for they tell you your faults.
He that can have patience can have what he will.
Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it.
Clean your fingers before you point at my spots.
Be sober and temperate, and you will be healthy.
Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.
If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.
A man without courage is a knife without an edge.
Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.
Eat to please thyself, but dress to please others.
If Jack's in love, he's no judge of Jill's beauty.
Love your neighbor: yet don't pull down your hedge.
Pain wastes the body; pleasures, the understanding.
Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.
Diligence overcomes difficulties; sloth makes them.
After crosses and losses men grow humbler and wiser.
Genius without Education is like Silver in the Mine.
Employ thy time well if thou meanest to get leisure.
A man that can have patience, can have what he will.
What maintains one vice would bring up two children.
If you desire many things, many things will seem few.
Waste not, want not; willful waste makes woeful want.
In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.
The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.
He that waits upon fortune, is never sure of a dinner.
Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.
It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.
Let us then be up and doing, and doing to the purpose.
He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals.
If you would have your business done, go; if not, send.
Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices.
He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.
None preaches better than the ant, and she says nothing.
A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.
I saw few die of hunger — of eating, a hundred thousand.
An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.
The most exquisite folly is made of wisdom spun too fine.
If you would know the value of money, try and borrow some.
The eye of a master will do more work than both his hands.
Wealth is not theirs that have it, but those who enjoy it.
Laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him.
The use of money is all the advantage there is in having it.
Experience keeps a dear school, yet fools learn in no other.
Watch the little things; a small leak will sink a great ship.
A false friend and a shadow attend only while the sun shines.
Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterward.
At the workingman's house hunger looks in but dares not enter.
The noblest question in the world is What Good may I do in it?
You can bear your own faults, why not the faults in your wife?
Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.
Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.
If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some.
A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.
Fools need advice most, but wise men only are the better for it.
Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.
If man could have half his wishes, he would double his troubles.
Setting too good an example is a kind of slander seldom forgiven.
A countryman between two lawyers is like a fish between two cats.
It's the easiest thing in the world for a man to deceive himself.
Speak ill of no man, but speak all the good you know of everybody.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.
Don't throw stones at your neighbors if your own windows are glass.
A long life may not be good enough, but a good life is long enough.
If a man could have half of his wishes he would double his troubles.
He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.
We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.
If you would keep your secret from an enemy, tell it not to a friend.
To be intimate with a foolish friend is like going to bed to a razor.
In America we believe in Life, Liberty — and the pursuit of happiness.
Teach your child to hold his tongue, he'll learn fast enough to speak.
Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.
Up sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough.
He's the best physician that knows the worthlessness of most medicines.
After three days men grow weary of a wench, a guest, and rainy weather.
Blessed is he that expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Vessels large may venture more, but little boats should keep near shore.
In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.
'Tis an old saying: That an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance.
A bargain is something you have to find a use for once you have bought it.
He gives twice that gives soon, i.e., he will soon be called to give again.
Don't throw stones at your neighbor's windows if you live in a glass house.
If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself.
There are three faithful friends — an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.
To bear other people's afflictions, everyone has courage and enough to spare.
Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?
Teach your children to hold their tongues; they'll learn fast enough to speak.
Make no expense, but to do good to others or yourself; that is, waste nothing.
If you would reap praise you must sow the seeds, Gentle words and useful deeds.
In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.
There are three Things extremely hard; Steel, a Diamond, and to know one's self.
To be thrown upon one's own resources is to be cast into the very lap of fortune.
The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.
Neither a Fortress nor a Maidenhead will hold out long after they begin to parley.
Those who love deeply never grow old. They may die of old age, but they die young.
The praise you take, altho' it be your due, Will be suspected if it come from you.
Each year, one vicious habit rooted out, in time ought to make the worst man good.
Proclaim not all thou knowest, all thou owest, all thou hast, nor all thou can'st.
There never was yet a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.
'Tis great Confidence in a Friend to tell him your Faults, greater to tell him his.
At twenty years of age the will reigns; at thirty, the wit; at forty, the judgment.
Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.
Let all your things have their place; let each part of your business have its time.
We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
Dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.
Ambition has its disappointments to sour us, but never the good fortune to satisfy us.
Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.
Lose no time; be always employed in something useful. Keep out of all unnecessary action.
A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.
There are two ways of being happy; we may either diminish our wants or augment our means.
Old boys have their playthings as well as young ones; the difference is only in the price.
In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.
Arguing is a game two can play at. But it is a strange game in that neither opponent ever wins.
If a little does not go, much cash will not come." — "He who restrains his appetite avoids debt.
Most people return small favors, acknowledge middling ones, and repay great ones with ingratitude.
When men are employed, they are best contented; for on idle days they are mutinous and quarrelsome.
Let man ascertain his special business or calling, and then stick to it, if he would be successful.
To the generous mind the heaviest debt is that of gratitude, when it is not in our power to repay it.
A man that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.
He was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages; so ignorant that he bought a cow to ride on.
How many observe Christ's birthday! How few his precepts! O! 'tis easier to keep holidays than commandments.
Tim was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages: so ignorant that he bought a cow to ride on.
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Without love, what are we worth? Eighty-nine cents! Eighty-nine cents worth of chemicals walking around lonely.
For want of a nail the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost, for want of a horse the rider is lost.
Serving God is doing good to man. But praying is thought an easier service and is therefore more generally chosen.
Strive to be the greatest Man in your Country, and you may be disappointed; strive to be the best, and you may succeed.
'What is the use of this new invention?' someone once asked me. And my reply was, 'What is the use of a new-born child?'
You will observe with concern how long a useful truth may be known and exist, before it is generally received and practiced on.
Human felicity is produced not as much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen as by little advantages that occur every day.
Human felicity is produc'd not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day.
So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.
Who is wise? He that learns from everyone. Who is powerful? He that governs his passions. Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.
Who is wise? He that learns from every One. Who is powerful? He that governs his Passions. Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.
Human felicity or happiness is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day.
The eyes of other people are the eyes that ruin us. If all but myself were blind, I should want neither fine clothes, fine houses, nor fine furniture.
He that raises a large family does, indeed, while he lives to observe them, stand a broader mark for sorrow; but then he stands a broader mark for pleasure too.
If you argue and rankle and contradict, you may achieve a victory sometimes; but it will be an empty victory because you will never get your opponent's good will.
The world is full of fools and faint hearts; and yet everyone has courage enough to bear the misfortunes, and wisdom enough to manage the affairs, of his neighbor.
A man that raises a large family does, indeed, while he lives to observe them, stand a broader mark for sorrow; but then, he stands a broader mark for pleasure too.
A man who hath a trade, hath an estate; and a man who hath a calling hath a place of profit and honor. A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees.
Happiness consists more in the small conveniences of pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom to a man in the course of his life.
Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of its filling a vacuum, it makes one.
... names of virtues, with their precepts, were:1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation. 2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
Wherever desirable superfluities are imported, industry is excited, and thereby plenty is produced. Were only necessaries permitted to be purchased, men would work no more than was necessary for that purpose.
Temperance puts wood on the fire, meal in the barrel, flour in the tub, money in the purse, credit in the country, contentment in the house, clothes on the children, vigor in the body, intelligence in the brain, and spirit in the whole constitution.
Friends and neighbours complain that taxes are indeed very heavy, and if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay, we might the more easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times as much by our folly.
In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.
If you would be loved, love, and be lovable.
Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.
Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.
If a man could have half of his wishes, he would double his troubles.
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
There are three faithful friends, an old wife, an old dog, and ready money.
Hide not your talents, they for use were made, What's a sun-dial in the shade?
He gives twice that gives soon; i.e., he will soon be called upon to give again.
Dost thou love Life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.
At twenty years of age the will reigns; at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgment.
Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterward. Keep your eyes open before marriage.
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
