Benjamin Franklin

“Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away”

“Words may show a man's wit, actions his meaning.”

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

“...but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

“All the little money that ever came into my hands was ever laid out in books.”

“Women are books, and men the readers be...”

“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”

“I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such: because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no Form of Government but what may be a Blessing to the People if well-administred; and I believe farther that this is likely to be well administred for a Course of Years and can only end in Despotism as other Forms have done before it, when the People shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other.”

“All would live long, but none would be old.”

“It's better to swim in the sea belowThan to swing in the air and feed the crow,Says jolly Ned Teach of Bristol.”

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made,What's a sundial in the shade?”

“Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society.”

“A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.”

“Most fools think they are only ignorant.”

“Well done is better than well said.”

“Never confuse Motion with Action.”

“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.”

“One today is worth two tomorrows”

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

“A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned”

“A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.”

“We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.[misquote of a letter about wine, see quotes/831031]”

“How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, His precepts!”

“You may delay, but time will not.”

“He that can have patience can have what he will.”

“My refusing to eat flesh occasioned an inconveniency, and I was frequently chided for my singularity, but, with this lighter repast, I made the greater progress, for greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension. Flesh eating is unprovoked murder.”

“Fear not death for the sooner we die, the longer we shall be immortal.”