Benjamin Franklin Quotes

The busy man has few idle visitors; to the boiling pot the flies come not.

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

Make use of your friends by being of use to them.

The same man cannot be both Friend and Flatterer.

He that hath a Trade, hath an Estate.

If you'd lose a troublesome visitor, lend him money.

Be neither silly, nor cunning, but wise

A man is not completely born until he is dead. Why then should we grieve that a new child is born among the immortals, a new member added to their happy society?

Reckless haste makes poor speed.

Before you consult your fancy, consult your purse.

To be humble to superiors is a duty, to equals courtesy, to inferiors nobleness.

In rivers and bad governments the lightest things swim at top.

Nine Men in Ten are Suicides.

Cunning proceeds from want of capacity.

I have heard that nothing gives an Author so great Pleasure, as to find his works respectfully quoted by other learned authors.

It is a grand mistake to think of being great without goodness and I pronounce it as certain that there was never a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.

Do not fear mistakes.

It is much easier to suppress a first desire than to satisfy those that follow.

Many complain of their memory, few of their judgment.

To cease to think creatively is to cease to live

A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. There will be sleeping enough in the grave.

Lost time can never be found again

She laughs at everything you say. Why? Because she has fine teeth.

He's a fool who cannot conceal his wisdom.

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.

Never confuse Motion with Action.

Mine is better than ours.

After crosses and losses men grow humbler and wiser.

If better is possible, good is not enough

Most people dislike vanity in others, whatever share they have of it themselves.

Most people die at 25 but are buried at 75.

If a man would reap praise, you must sow the seeds, gentle words and useful deeds.

Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.

Time is an herb that cures all Diseases.

Take it from Richard, poor and lame, What's begun in anger ends in shame.

Here is my Creed. I believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe. That He governs it by His Providence. That He ought to be worshipped.

The proud hate pride in others.

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

No employment can be managed without arithmetic, no mechanical invention without geometry.

There seems to be three ways for a nation to acquire wealth: the first is by war...this is robbery; the second by commerce, which is generally cheating; the third by agriculture, the only honest way.

If you desire many things, many things will seem few.

The exact Quantity and Quality being found out, is to be kept to constantly.

I consent Sir, to this Constitution because I expect no better, and because I am not sure, that it is not the best.

whatever you become be good at it

Don't throw stones at your neighbors, if your own windows are glass.

Vice knows she is ugly, so puts on her mask.

[It was] the poverty caused by the bad influence of the English bankers on the Parliament which has caused in the colonies hatred of the English and . . . the Revolutionary War.

All would live long, but none would be old.

Virtue alone is sufficient to make a man great, glorious, and happy.

Where there's no law, there's no bread.