Benjamin Franklin Quotes

“A penny saved is a penny earned.”

“A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.”

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”

“Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.”

“Beer is proof that God wants us to be happy.”

“Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.”

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

“By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid only of standing still.”

“Change is the only constant in life. Ones ability to adapt to those changes will determine your success in life.”

“Common sense is something that everyone needs, few have, and none think they lack.”

“Common sense without education, is better than education without common sense.”

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

“Fear not death for the sooner we die, the longer we shall be immortal.”

“He that can have patience can have what he will.”

“He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.”

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made,
What's a sundial in the shade?”

“How many observe Christ's birthday! How few His precepts!”

“I never knew a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else.”

“If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed.”

“If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking.”

“If you want to make a friend, let someone do you a favor.”

“If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.”

“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.”

“Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.”

“It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.”

“It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority.”

“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”

“Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.”

“Life biggest tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.”

“Little minds think and talk about people.
Average minds think and talk about things and actions.
Great minds think and talk about ideas.”

“Little rogues easily become great ones.”

“Make yourself sheep and the wolves will eat you.”

“Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.”

“Many people die at twenty five and aren't buried until they are seventy five.”

“Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants.”

“Money makes money. And the money that money makes, makes money.”

“Most men die from the neck up at age twenty-five because they stop dreaming.”

“Never confuse motion with action.”

“Security without liberty is called prison.”

“Take the money in your wallet and invest it in your mind. And in return, your mind will fill up your wallet!”

“The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness;
to an opponent, tolerance;
to a friend, your heart;
to your child, a good example;
to a father, deference;
to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you;
to yourself, respect;
to all others, charity.”

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

“To find out a girl's faults, praise her to her girlfriends.”

“Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don't have brains enough to be honest.”

“Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away.”

“Two passions have powerful influence on the affairs of men: the love of power and the love of money.”

“War is when the government tells you who the bad guy is. Revolution is when you decide that for yourself.”

“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.
When you're down to nothing, God is up to something. The faithful see the invisible, believe the incredible and then receive the impossible.
Where liberty dwells there is my country.”

“When you're testing to see how deep water is, never use two feet.”

“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.”

“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”

“Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.”

“I didn’t fail the test. I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.”

“Little strokes fell great oaks.”

“Never read a book without a pen in your hand.”

“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”

“Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

“There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self.”

“Well done is better than well said.”

“You may delay, but time will not.”

“Avoid extremes. Forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.”

“Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.”

“Eat not to dullness. Drink not to elevation.”

“Imitate Jesus and Socrates.”

“Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time.”

“Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.”

“Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e., Waste nothing.”

“Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.”

“Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.”

“Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.”

“Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes, or habitation.”

“Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly; and if you speak, speak accordingly.”

“Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.”

“A friend in need is a friend indeed!”

“Fear God, and your enemies will fear you.”

“Fish and visitors stink in 3 days.”

“Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”

“He that's content, hath enough; He that complains, has too much.”

“If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.”

“Lost time is never found again.”

“Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults.”

“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.”

“Today is Yesterday's pupil.”

“Wise men learn by other's harms; Fools by their own.”

“At the working man’s house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.”

“Beware of little expenses; A small leak will sink a great ship.”

“Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.”

“Fools make feasts, and wise men eat them.”

“He that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honor.”

“He that lives upon hope will die fasting.”

“If a man empties his purse into his head, no one can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

“If you will not hear reason, she'll rap your knuckles.”

“If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some; for He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing.”

“One today is worth two tomorrows.”

“The people heard it, and approved the doctrine, and immediately practiced the contrary.”

“There are no gains without pains.”

“Vessels large may venture more, But little boats should keep near shore.”

“Waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both.”

“We may make these times better, if we better ourselves.”