Benjamin Franklin Quotes

A true friend is the greatest possesion.

'Tis true there is much to be done, . . . but stick to it steadily, and you will see great effects, for constant dropping wears away stones . . . and little strokes fell great oaks, as Poor Richard says. . . .

Write to Please Yourself. When You write to Please Others You end up Pleasing No one.

The grand leap of the whale up the Fall of Niagara is esteemed, by all who have seen it, as one of the finest spectacles in nature.

Fear God, and your enemies will fear you.

He is ill clothed that is bare of virtue.

Some volumes against Deism fell into my hands ... they produced an effect precisely the reverse to what was intended by the writers; for the arguments of the Deists, which were cited in order to be refuted, appeared to me much more forcibly than the refutation itself; in a word, I soon became a thorough Deist.

The borrower is a slave to the lender and the debtor to the creditor.

Marry above thy match and you will get a master.

By playing at Chess then, we may learn... First: Foresight. Second: Circumspection. Third: Caution.

The proof of gold is fire.

Avoid dishonest gain: no price can recompence the pangs of vice.

Righteousness, or justice, is, undoubtedly of all the virtues, the surest foundation on which to create and establish a new state. But there are two nobler virtues, industry and frugality, which tend more to increase the wealth, power and grandeur of the community, than all the others without them.

Those have a short Lent who owe money to be paid at Easter.

It is the religion of ignorance that tyranny begins.

He that rises late must trot all day.

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

One today is worth two tomorrows. Lost time is never found again. Time is money. Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that's the stuff that life is made of. You may delay, but time will not.

Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society.

I grew convinced that truth, sincerity and integrity in dealings between man and man were of the utmost importance to the felicity of life, and I formed written resolutions . . . to practice them ever while I lived.

We have no poor houses in the Colonies, and if we had, we would have no one to put in them, as in the Colonies there is not a single unemployed man, no poor and no vagabonds.

He that hath a trade hath an estate; and he that hath a calling hath a place of profit and honor. A ploughman on his legs is higher than a gentleman on his knees.

Security without liberty is called prison.

Chess teaches foresight, by having to plan ahead; vigilance, by having to keep watch over the whole chess board; caution, by having to restrain ourselves from making hasty moves; and finally, we learn from chess the greatest maxim in life - that even when everything seems to be going badly for us we should not lose heart, but always hoping for a change for the better, steadfastly continue searching for the solutions to our problems.

Take heed of the Vinegar of sweet Wine, and the Anger of Good-nature.

That wise Men have in all Ages thought Government necessary for the Good of Mankind; and, that wise Governments have always thought Religion necessary for the well ordering and well-being of Society, and accordingly have been ever careful to encourage and protect the Ministers of it, paying them the highest publick Honours, that their Doctrines might thereby meet with the greater Respect among the common People.

Religion I found to be without any tendency to inspire, promote, or confirm morality, serves principally to divide us and make us unfriendly to one another.

The church, the state, and the poor, are 3 daughters which we should maintain, but not portion off.

I have so much faith in the general government of the world by Providence that I can hardly conceive a transaction of such momentous importance [as the framing of the Constitution] ... should be suffered to pass without being in some degree influenced, guided, and governed by that omnipotent, omnipresent, and beneficent Ruler in whom all inferior spirits live and move and have their being.

I would advise you to read with a pen in your hand and enter in a little book short hints of what you feel that is common or that may be useful; for this will be the best method of imprinting such portcullis in your memory.

Praise little, dispraise less.

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.

It is therefore wish'd that all commerce were as free between all the nations of the world as it is between the several counties of England.

A quarrelsome man has no good neighbours.

Wise men learn by others' harms, fools scarcely by their own.

The second vice is lying, the first is running in debt.

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

Out of adversity comes opportunity.

It is observable that God has often called men to places of dignity and honor when they have been busy in the honest employment of their vocation.

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

Scarcely have I ever heard or read the introductory phrase, "I may say without vanity," but some striking and characteristic instance of vanity has immediately followed.

Strict punctuality is a cheap virtue.

The things which hurt, instruct.

I cannot conceive otherwise than that He, the Infinite Father, expects or requires no worship or praise from us, but that He is even infinitely above it.

The only thing that is more expensive than education is ignorance.

There cannot be good living where there is not good drinking.

I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country; he is a bird of bad moral character; like those among men who live by sharping and robbing, he is generally poor, and often very lousy. The turkey is a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America.

Energy and persistence conquer all things.