Benjamin Franklin Quotes

Speak and speed: the close mouth catches no flies.

The sleeping fox catches no poultry.

He that composes himself is wiser than he that composes a book.

When confronted with two courses of action I jot down on a piece of paper all the arguments in favor of each one, then on the opposite side I write the arguments against each one. Then by weighing the arguments pro and con and cancelling them out, one against the other, I take the course indicated by what remains.

Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God.

There is nothing wrong with retirement as long as one doesn't allow it to interfere with one's work.

What more valuable than Gold? Diamonds. Than Diamonds? Virtue.

There will be plenty of time to sleep once you are dead

Those disputing, contradicting, and confuting people are generally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory, sometimes, but they never get good will, which would be of more use to them.

In New England they once thought blackbirds useless, and mischievous to the corn. They made efforts to destroy them. The consequence was, the blackbirds were diminished; but a kind of worm, which devoured their grass, and which the blackbirds used to feed on, increased prodigiously; then, finding their loss in grass much greater than their saving in corn, they wished again for their blackbirds.

In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

There is nothing so absurd as knowledge spun too fine.

Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

Mankind are dastardly when they meet with opposition.

Drive your business. Let not your business drive you.

I resolve to speak ill of no man whatever, not even in a matter of truth; but rather by some means excuse the faults I hear charged upon others, and upon proper occasions speak all the good I know of everybody.

We may give advice, but we cannot give conduct.

When the well is dry, people know the worth of water. [so appreciate what you have while you have it]

Tis a common observation here that our cause is the cause of all mankind, and that we are fighting for their liberty in defending our own.

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

Admiration is the daughter of ignorance.

I have been apt to think that there has never been, nor ever will be, any such thing as a good war, or a bad peace.

But 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.

If the new Universal History were also read, it would give a connected idea of human affairs, so far as it goes, which should be followed by the best modern histories, particularly of our mother country; then of these colonies; which should be accompanied with observations on their rise, increase, use to Great Britain, encouragements and discouragements, the means to make them flourish, and secure their liberties.

The way to wealth is as plain as the way to market. It depends chiefly on two words, industry and frugality: that is, waste neither time nor money, but make the best use of both. Without industry and frugality nothing will do, and with them everything.

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

What good shall I do this day?

The purpose of money was to purchase one's freedom to pursue that which is useful and interesting.

I believe ... that the soul of man is immortal and will be treated with justice in another life, respecting its conduct in this.

All wars are follies, very expensive and very mischievous ones. In my opinion, there never was a good war or a bad peace. When will mankind be convinced and agree to settle their difficulties by arbitration?

If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!

Pain wastes the Body, Pleasures the Understanding.

O Lazy bones! Dost thou think God would have given thee arms and legs, if he had not design'd thou should'st use them?

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

Great good nature without prudence is a great misfortune.

When about 16 Years of Age, I happened to meet with a Book written by one Tryon, recommending a Vegetable Diet. I determined to go into it.... My refusing to eat Flesh occasioned an inconveniency, and I was frequently chid for my singularity.

Covetousness is ever attended with solicitude and anxiety.

I believe long habits of virtue have a sensible effect on the countenance.

A light purse is a heavy curse.

If you have something to do tomorrow, do it today.

So convenient a thing to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for every thing one has a mind to do.

There is no gains without pain.

I know not which lives more unnatural lives, obeying husbands, or commanding wives.

I believe that Man is not the most perfect Being but One, rather that as there are many Degrees of Beings his Inferiors, so there are many Degrees of Beings superior to him.

Beauty and folly are old companions.

A lighthouse is more useful than a church.

Thank God! we are in the full enjoyment of all these privileges. But can we be taught to prize them too much? or how can we prize them equal to their value, if we do not know their intrinsic worth, and that they are not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature?

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