Benjamin Franklin Quotes (733 Quotes)

Glass, china, and reputation are easily cracked, and never mended well.

For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged, by better information or fuller consideration, to change opinions, even on important subjects, which I once thought right but found to be otherwise.

He that pays ready Money, escapes or may escape that Charge.

No gain without pains.

The Difficulty lies, in finding out an exact Measure but eat for Necessity, not Pleasure, for Lust knows not where Necessity ends.

The key to a healthy marriage is to keep your eyes wide open before you wed and half-closed thereafter.

Love your neighbour yet don't pull down your hedge.

An old Man in a House is a good Sign.

All blood is alike ancient.

No nation was ever ruined by trade.

Tomorrow, every Fault is to be amended; but that Tomorrow never comes.

A man is not completely born until he be dead.

Rules to find out a fit Measure of Meat and Drink.

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

It's common for Men to give 6 pretended Reasons instead of one real one.

Industry pays debts, despair increases them.

A light purse is a heavy curse.

Where there's marriage without love, there will be love without marriage.

Man's tongue is soft, and bone doth lack yet a stroke therewith may break a man's back.

What pains our Justice takes his faults to hide, With half that pains sure he might cure 'em quite

One Man may be more cunning than another, but not more cunning than every body else.

When you speak to a man, look on his eyes when he speaks to thee, look on his mouth.

Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it.

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

Clearly spoken, Mr. Fogg you explain English by Greek.

They who have nothing to trouble them, will be troubled at nothing.

Let thy discontents be thy secrets.

Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.

In other men we faults can spy, And blame the mote that dims their eye Each little speck and blemish find To our own stronger errors blind.

A good conscience is a continual Christmas.

In prosperous fortunes be modest and wise, The greatest may fall, and the lowest may rise But insolent People that fall in disgrace, Are wretched and no-body pities their Case.

By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.

Innocence is its own defense.

A Ship under sail and a big-bellied Woman, Are the handsomest two things that can be seen common

Timothy was so learned he could name a horse in 9 languages, and bought a cow to ride on.

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

Don't judge men's wealth or godliness by their Sunday appearance.

If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed that a good master should catch you idle Are you then your own master Be ashamed to catch yourself idle, when there is much to be done for yourself, your family, your relations, and your country

He that lives upon hope will die fasting.

He that won't be counseled can't be helped.

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.

It is only when the rich are sick that they fully feel the impotence of wealth.

He does not possess wealth; it possesses him.

A fine genius in his own country, is like a gold in the mine.

Good counsel failing men can give, for why He that's aground knows where the shoal doth lie

It is better to take many Injuries than to give one

Bright as the day and as the morning fair, Such Cloe is, common as the air.

Little strokes, Fell great oaks.

God gives all things to industry.

Ben Franklin was a little stout later in life and it was said that in Paris a young woman, tapping him on his protruding abdomen, said,'Dr. Franklin, if this were on a woman, we'd know what to think.' And Franklin replied,'Half an hour ago, Mademoiselle, it was on a woman, and now what do you think'