Benjamin Franklin Quotes

510 Sourced Quotes

Lost time is never found again, and what we call time enough, always proves little enough.

Benjamin Franklin
Tis against some mens principle to pay interest, and seems against others interest to pay the principle.

Benjamin Franklin
In 1736 I lost one of my Sons, a fine Boy of 4 Years old, by the Smallpox taken in the common way. I long regretted bitterly and still regret that I had not given it to him by Inoculation. This I mention for the Sake of Parents who omit that Operation on the Supposition that they should never forgive themselves if a Child died under it; my Example showing that the Regret may be the same either way, and that therefore the safer should be chosen.

Benjamin Franklin
Doing an injury puts you below your enemy; revenging one make you but even with him; forgiving it sets you above him.

Benjamin Franklin
Experience is a dear teacher, but fools will learn at no other.

Benjamin Franklin
Be temperate in wine, in eating, girls, & sloth; Or the Gout will seize you and plague you both.

Benjamin Franklin
If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some.

Benjamin Franklin
The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.

Benjamin Franklin
Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor liberty to purchase power.

Benjamin Franklin
Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it.

Benjamin Franklin
Be at War with your Vices, at Peace with your Neighbours, and let every New-Year find you a better Man.

Benjamin Franklin
Avarice and happiness never saw each other, how then should they become acquainted.

Benjamin Franklin
Think What You Do When You Run in Debt: You Give to Another Power over Your Liberty

Benjamin Franklin
The people heard it, and approved the doctrine, and immediately practiced the contrary.

Benjamin Franklin
Dangerous, therefore, is it to take shelter under a tree, during a thunder-gust. It has been fatal to many, both men and beasts.

Benjamin Franklin
There's small Revenge in Words, but Words may be greatly revenged

Benjamin Franklin
The next thing most like living one's life over again seems to be a recollection of that life, and to make that recollection as durable as possible by putting it down in writing.

Benjamin Franklin
If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality.

Benjamin Franklin
Mankind naturally and generally love to be flatter'd: Whatever sooths our Pride, and tends to exalt our Species above the rest of the Creation, we are pleas'd with and easily believe, when ungrateful Truths shall be with the utmost Indignation rejected. "What! bring ourselves down to an Equality with the Beasts of the Field! with the meanest part of the Creation! 'Tis insufferable!" But, (to use a Piece of common Sense) our Geese are but Geese tho' we may think 'em Swans; and Truth will be Truth tho' it sometimes prove mortifying and distasteful.

Benjamin Franklin
Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.

Benjamin Franklin
On the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet as I was, by the endeavor, a better and a happier man than I otherwise should have been had I not attempted it

Benjamin Franklin
If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher's stone.

Benjamin Franklin
It is the will of God and Nature that these mortal bodies be laid aside, when the soul is to enter into real life; 'tis rather an embrio state, a preparation for living; a man is not completely born until he be dead: Why then should we grieve that a new child is born among the immortals?

Benjamin Franklin
Blessed is he that expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed. expect nothing - get nothing! but expect something - get something!!

Benjamin Franklin
A long life may not be good enough, but a good life is long enough.

Benjamin Franklin
There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one's self.

Benjamin Franklin
Order - Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

Benjamin Franklin
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.

Benjamin Franklin
The happy State of Matrimony is, undoubtedly, the surest and most lasting Foundation of Comfort and Love... the Cause of all good Order in the World, and what alone preserves it from the utmost Confusion.

Benjamin Franklin
Then plough deep while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep.

Benjamin Franklin