05 January 2006
Franklin's Sayings
Benjamin Franklin’s common sense wit and wisdom continue to be quotable into the 21st century. Many of these quotations originally appeared in his yearly Poor Richard’s Almanac, which was published between 1732 and 1757.
* Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is.
* He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.
* There never was a good war nor a bad peace.
* Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices.
* To err is human, to repent divine, to persist devilish.
* Necessity never made a good bargain.
* All would live long, but none would be old.
* They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
* Fish and visitors smell in three days.
* Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.
* Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.
* Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
* Energy and persistence conquer all things.
* Genius without education is like silver in the mine.
* God heals, and the doctor takes the fees.
* He is ill clothed that is bare of virtue.
* He that can have patience can have what he will.
* He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.
* He that would live in peace and at ease, must not speak all he knows nor judge all he sees.
* If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.
* Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.
* Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.
* Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
