Poor Richard's Almanack

by Benjamin Franklin

Plough deep while sluggards sleep and you shall have corn to sell and to keep.

Work while it is called today for you know not how much you may be hindered tomorrow.

Industry gives comfort and plenty and respect.

Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge.

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

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

The learned fool writes his nonsense in better languages than the unlearned; but still it is nonsense.

The noblest question in the world is What good may I do in it?

Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure when he is really selling himself a slave to it.

If you would reap praise you must sow the seeds, Gentle words and useful deeds.

Drink does not drown care, but waters it, and makes it grow fast.

Here comes the orator! With his flood of words and his drop of reason.

Think of three things: Whence you came, Where you are going, And to whom you must account.

Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn.

Who is strong? He that can conquer his bad habits.

not be forgotten As soon as you are dead and rotten, Either write things worth reading Or do things worth writing.

He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.

What signifies knowing the names if you know not the natures of things?

Sudden power is apt to be insolent, sudden liberty saucy, that balances best which has grown gradually.

Where sense is wanting everything is wanting.

An open foe may prove a curse but a pretended friend is worse.

Humility makes great men twice honourable.

O! ‘tis easier to keep holidays than commandments.

Tim was so learned that he could name a horse in nine languages. So ignorant that he bought a cow to ride on.

You may give the man an office, but you cannot give him discretion.

If Pride leads the Van, Beggary brings up the Rear.

If thou hast wit & learning, add to it Wisdom and Modesty.

Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden but it is forbidden because it’s hurtful. Nor is a Duty beneficial because it is commanded, but it is commanded, because it’s beneficial.

No wonder Tom grows fat, th’ unwieldy sinner, Makes his whole life but one continual dinner.

Clearly spoken, Mr. Fog! You explain English by Greek.

Make haste slowly.

Vice knows she’s ugly, so puts on her Mask.

Take Courage, Mortal; Death can’t banish thee out of the Universe.

Write Injuries in Dust, Benefits in Marble.

The Devil sweetens Poison with Honey.

The end of Passion is the beginning of Repentance.

He that spills the Rum, loses that only; He that drinks it, often loses both that and himself.

Children and princes will quarrel for trifles.

A Pair of good ears will drain dry an hundred tongues.

Great modesty often hides great merit.

Content is the philosopher’s stone, that turns all it touches into gold.