Quotes by Ben Franklin are as American as you can get. He was shrewd, intelligent, inventive, versatile…and very funny.
Quotes by Ben Franklin(1706-1790)
Visits should be short, like a winter’s day. Lest you’re too troublesome, hasten away.
He’s a fool that makes his doctor his heir. A countryman between two lawyers is like a fish between two cats. A good conscience is a continual Christmas. Laziness travels so slowly, that poverty soon overtakes him. Beware of the young doctor and the old barber. A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one. A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle. Admiration is the daughter of ignorance. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. He that lieth down with dogs, shall rise up with fleas. Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one. Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do. Beauty and folly are old companions. Creditors have better memories than debtors.
Creditors are a superstitious sect, great observers of set days and times.
It is as truly folly for the poor to ape the rich, as for the frog to swell, in order to equal the ox. It is hard for an empty bag to stand upright.
Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Beware the hobby that eats. Men and melons are hard to know. Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes. If you will not hear reason, she will surely rap your knuckles. Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. Love, a cough, and a smoke, can’t well be hid. Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other. The cat in gloves catches no mice. God works wonders now and then; Behold a lawyer, an honest man. At the working man’s house, hunger looks in, but dares not enter. Look before, or you'll find yourself behind. Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days. He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. A good lawyer, a bad neighbor. The family of fools is ancient. He that lives upon hope will die fasting. Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.
Don’t misinform your doctor nor your lawyer. He that rises late must trot all day. God heals, and the doctor takes the fee. If you do what you should not, you must hear what you would not. He that speaks much, is much mistaken. Visit your Aunt, but not every Day; and call at your Brother’s, but not every night.
He that waits upon fortune, is never sure of a dinner. He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals. I guess I don't so much mind being old, as I mind being fat and old. If a man could have half of his wishes, he would double his troubles. Death takes no bribes. Those who in quarrels interpose, must often wipe a bloody nose. If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself. If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some. The World is full of fools and faint hearts; and yet every one has courage enough to bear the misfortunes, and wisdom enough to manage the Affairs, of his neighbour.
Up, sluggard, and waste not life; in the grave will be sleeping enough. In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires. Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards. Make haste slowly. Life's Tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late. Necessity never made a good bargain. Never confuse motion with action. 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. She laughs at everything you say. Why? Because she has fine teeth. The absent are never without fault, nor the present without excuse. The art of acting consists in keeping people from coughing. The Things which hurt, instruct. The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. The learned fool writes nonsense in better language that the unlearned - but it's still nonsense. A soft Tongue may strike hard. There are three faithful friends - an old wife, an old dog, and ready money. Three can keep a secret if two are dead. He’s a Fool that cannot conceal his Wisdom. Tomorrow every fault is to be amended; but tomorrow never comes. Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools that don't have brains enough to be honest. We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. One Man may be more cunning than another, but not more cunning than every body else. We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately. When in doubt, don't. What maintains one Vice would bring up two children. A Slip of the Foot you may soon recover, but a Slip of the Tongue you may never get over. When you're finished changing, you're finished. Where there's marriage without love, there will be love without marriage. If man could have Half his Wishes, he would double his Troubles. Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody. He that sows Thorns should never go barefoot. Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it. Silence is not always a Sign of Wisdom, but Babbling is ever a Folly. Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.
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