PoorRichardsAlmanac

Poor Richards Almanac (Ben Franklin)

  • "No ugly lovers, no handsome prisons"
  • "Speak with contempt of none, from slave to king. The smallest bee has, (and will use) a sting"
  • Hear Reason, or shell make you feel here.
  • Make haste slowly
  • The way to see faith is to shut the eye of reason
  • Trick and treachery are the practice of fool , without the wit to be honest
  • When you speak to a man look at his eyes, when he speaks to you look at his mouth.
  • Observe all men, yourself the most
  • Wish not so much to live long, but to live well.
  • Eat to please yourself, dress to please others
  • Search others for their virtues, yourself for you vices.
  • Wink at small faults, remember you have great ones
  • Each year one vicious habit routed out, in time might made worst man good throughout.
  • Content makes poor men rich, Discontent makes rich men poor.
  • You can bear your own faults, why not the faults of your wife?
  • Why know the names, if you do not know the nature of things?
  • Learn from the skillful: He that teaches himself has a fool as a master
  • Great beauty, great strength, and great riches are really of no great use a right heart exceeds all.
  • Hes a fool that cannot conceal his wisdom
  • Fools make feasts, wise men eat them
  • Many complain of their memory, few of their judgment.
  • The eye of the master will do more work than his hand.
  • Whats given shines, whats received is rusty.
  • He is not well-bred that cannot bear ill-breading in others.
  • Eat to live, live not to eat.
  • To lengthen your life, lessen you meals.
  • The best physician knows the worthless-ness of most medicines.
  • He that wont be counseled, cannot be helped
  • People who are wrapped up in themselves make small packages.
  • Whatever begins in anger, ends in shame.
  • Keep eyes wide open before marriage, half shut afterwards.
  • He that speaks much is much mistaken.
  • Prosperity discovers vice, adversity and virtue.
  • Many a man would have been worse if his estate had been better.
  • He that lives well is learned enough.
  • Reading makes a man full, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man.
  • Its easier to suppress the first desire than all that follow.
  • He that pursues two hares at once, does not catch one and lets the other go.
  • Is there anything that man takes more pains about that to make themselves unhappy?
  • If you love life you will not squander time. Its what life is made of.
  • Good sense is something all need, few have, and none think they want.
  • Silence is not always a sign of wisdom, but babbling is always a sign of folly.
  • A long life might not always be good enough, but a good life is always long enough.
  • Suspicion may be no fault, but sharing it may be a great one
  • The end of passion (emotion) is the beginning of repentance.
  • Being ignorant is not so shameful as being unwilling to learn.
  • To be proud with knowledge is to be blind with light.
  • Men take more pains to mask than to mend.
  • Easier to build two chimneys than to maintain fuel in one.
  • The 12 virtues:
    1. Temperance: Dont eat to dullness or drink to elevation
    2. Silence: Speak only of what will benefit you or others. Avoid trifling conversation.
    3. Order: Let all your things have their place, all your business its time.
    4. Resolutions: Resolve to do what you should.
    5. Frugality: Waste nothing.
    6. Industry: Lost no time. Always be doing something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.
    7. Sincerity: Think innocently and justly. If you speak, speak accordingly.
    8. Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries or omitting benefits that are your duty.
    9. Moderation: Avoid extremes. Do not resent injuries as much as you think they deserve.
    10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness
    11. Tranquility: Do not be disturbed by trifles or at accidents.
    12. Humility

Backlinks