Benjamin Franklin, a true polymath of the 18th century, left behind a legacy not only as a Founding Father of the United States but also as a prolific writer, inventor, and philosopher. His words continue to inspire people worldwide, offering practical guidance on life, success, wisdom, and personal growth. Below is a collection of over 110 of his most inspirational quotes, presented simply and directly to motivate and enlighten.
110+ Benjamin Franklin’s Inspirational Quotes for Every Aspiring Soul
1. “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. ”
2. “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. ”
3. “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ”
4. “He that can have patience can have what he will. ”
5. “You may delay, but time will not. ”
6. “Many people die at twenty-five and aren’t buried until they are seventy-five. ”
7. “A penny saved is a penny earned. ”
8. “In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria. ”
9. “Never ruin an apology with an excuse. ”
10. “We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. ”
11. “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are. ”
12. “Fear not death for the sooner we die, the longer we shall be immortal. ”
13. “I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong. ”
14. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. ”
15. “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. ”
16. “Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. ”
17. “He that lies down with dogs shall rise up with fleas. ”
18. “Honesty is the best policy. ”
19. “Lost time is never found again. ”
20. “Well done is better than well said. ”
21. “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning. ”
22. “Wish not so much to live long as to live well. ”
23. “He does not possess wealth; it possesses him. ”
24. “There are no gains without pains. ”
25. “It is better to take many injuries than to give one. ”
26. “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading or do things worth the writing. ”
27. “Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day. ”
28. “Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor. ”
29. “Haste makes waste. ”
30. “Don’t throw stones at your neighbors if your own windows are glass. ”
31. “For life is a kind of chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with. ”
32. “Fools need advice most, but wise men only are the better for it. ”
33. “A true friend is the best possession. ”
34. “He that’s content, hath enough; He that complains, has too much. ”
35. “So convenient a thing is it to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do. ”
36. “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. ”
37. “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. ”
38. “Would you live with ease, do what you ought, and not what you please. ”
39. “I grew convinced that truth, sincerity and integrity in dealings between man and man were of the utmost importance to the felicity of life. ”
40. “Search others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices. ”
41. “What more valuable than gold? Diamonds. Than diamonds? Virtue. ”
42. “Speak little, do much. ”
43. “When you are good to others, you are best to yourself. ”
44. “Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults. ”
45. “The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one. ”
46. “To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals. ”
47. “Better slip with foot than tongue. ”
48. “A man being sometimes more generous when he has but a little money than when he has plenty, perhaps through fear of being thought to have but little. ”
49. “Reading was the only amusement I allowed myself. ”
50. “If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. ”
51. “To be content, look backward on those who possess less than yourself, not forward on those who possess more. ”
52. “The worship of God is a duty; the hearing and reading of sermons may be useful; but if men rest in hearing and praying, as too many do, it is as if a tree should value itself in being watered and putting forth leaves, though it never produced any fruit. ”
53. “Eat to please yourself, but dress to please others. ”
54. “A brother may not be a friend, but a friend will always be a brother. ”
55. “Men are subject to various inconveniences merely through lack of a small share of courage. ”
56. “That sort of wit, which employs itself insolently in criticizing and censuring the words and sentiments of others’ conversation, is absolute folly. ”
57. “I believe long habits of virtue have a sensible effect on the countenance. ”
58. “I never saw an oft-removed tree, nor yet an oft-removed family, that throve so well as those that settled be. ”
59. “If you’d know the value of money, go and borrow some. ”
60. “No nation was ever ruined by trade. ”
61. “Drive thy business, or it will drive thee. ”
62. “In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes. ”
63. “He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals. ”
64. “Let thy discontents be thy secrets; if the world knows them it will despise thee and increase them. ”
65. “There is no little enemy. ”
66. “Setting too good an example is a kind of slander seldom forgiven. ”
67. “Experience keeps a dear school, yet fools will learn in no other. ”
68. “Avarice and happiness never saw each other, how then should they become acquainted. ”
69. “Energy and persistence conquer all things. ”
70. “Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances. ”
71. “Diligence is the mother of good luck. ”
72. “Do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of. ”
73. “Well done is better than well said. ”
74. “Lost time is never found again. ”
75. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. ”
76. “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. ”
77. “The doors of wisdom are never shut. ”
78. “A small leak will sink a great ship. ”
79. “Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship. ”
80. “God helps them that help themselves. ”
81. “The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. ”
82. “It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them. ”
83. “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom; and no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech. ”
84. “The eye of the master will do more work than both his hands. ”
85. “Lost time is never found again. ”
86. “The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas. ”
87. “The doors of wisdom are never shut. ”
88. “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. ”
89. “Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor. ”
90. “The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason. ”
91. “Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today. ”
92. “Glass, china, and reputation are easily cracked, and never well mended. ”
93. “There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self. ”
94. “The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart. ”
95. “One today is worth two tomorrows. ”
96. “The best investment is in the tools of one’s own trade. ”
97. “Beware the hobby that eats. ”
98. “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning. ”
99. “Time is money. ”
100. “The noblest question in the world is: What good may I do in it?”
101. “A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one. ”
102. “He that can have patience can have what he will. ”
103. “There never was a good war or a bad peace. ”
104. “The doors of wisdom are never shut. ”
105. “The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. ”
106. “The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason. ”
107. “The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart. ”
108. “One today is worth two tomorrows. ”
109. “The best investment is in the tools of one’s own trade. ”
110. “Beware the hobby that eats. ”
111. “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning. ”
112. “Time is money. ”
113. “The noblest question in the world is: What good may I do in it?”
Conclusion
Benjamin Franklin’s quotes offer simple yet profound wisdom. They encourage us to value time, pursue knowledge, act with integrity, and embrace patience. His words remind us that success requires preparation, honesty, and persistence. Franklin’s insights into human nature and society remain relevant, inspiring us to live well, think deeply, and contribute positively. These quotes serve as a timeless guide for personal growth, leadership, and happiness.
Let these words inspire you to live a life of purpose, wisdom, and action.
This collection of over 110 quotes captures the essence of Benjamin Franklin’s enduring wisdom and practical advice for life. Use them as daily reminders or guiding principles to enrich your journey.
