At age 27, Benjamin Franklin began publishing “Poor Richard’s Almanack” under the pseudonym “Richard Saunders.”
Published annually for the next 26 years, the Almanack became widely successful. At the height of its popularity, the Almanack sold 10,000 copies a year, making it a best-seller in colonial America.
“Poor Richard’s Almanack” consisted of a hodgepodge of facts, weather forecasts, household hints, puzzles, historical tidbits, poems, and assorted amusements. However, what made the Almanack well known were the witty proverbs and maxims that Franklin included as fillers. The most famous of these maxims include, “Well done is better than well said,” “Haste makes waste,” and the oft misquoted “A penny saved is twopence dear.”
Benjamin Franklin sourced a good number of his maxims in the “Poor Richard’s Almanack” from Native American traditions, common legends and superstitions of his day, public speeches, and works of other published authors.
Maxims from Benjamin Franklin’s “Poor Richard’s Almanack”
Fools multiply folly.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
The noblest question in the world is, What Good may I do in it?
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Pay what you owe, and you’ll know what’s your own.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
An ounce of wit that is bought, is worth a pound that is taught.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Hunger is the best pickle.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Reading makes a full Man, Meditation a profound Man,|discourse a clear Man.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Whate’er’s begun in anger ends in shame.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Fear to do ill, and you need fear naught else.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
A quarrelsome Man has no good Neighbors.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality, since lost time is never found again; and what we call time enough always proves little enough. Let us then up and be doing, and doing to the purpose; so by diligence shall we do more with less perplexity.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
If you desire many things, many things will seem few.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Well done is better than well said.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
He that sows thorns, should not go barefoot.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Work as if you were to live 100 years, Pray as if you were to die To-morrow.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Genius without education is like silver in the mine.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Who is strong? He that can conquer his bad Habits.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Don’t go to the doctor with every distemper, nor to the lawyer with every quarrel, nor to the pot for every thirst.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Distrust & caution are the parents of security.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Avarice and Happiness never saw each other, how then shou’d they become acquainted.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Wink at small faults; remember thou hast great ones.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Proclaim not all thou knowest, all thou owest, all thou hast, nor all thou canst.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure; and since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour. Leisure is time for doing something useful, and this leisure the diligent man will obtain, but the lazy man never, for a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Plough deep, while Sluggards sleep; And you shall have Corn, to sell and to keep.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Better is a little with content than much with contention.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Silence is not always a Sign of Wisdom, but Babbling is ever a Mark of Folly.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
You may give a Man an Office, but you cannot give him Discretion.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Experience keeps a dear school; but fools will learn in no other, and scarce in that; for it is true, we may give advice, but we cannot give conduct.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Search others for their virtues, thy self for thy vices.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry, all things easy.—He that rises late must trot all day, and hall scarce overtake his business at night, while laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Glass, China, and Reputation, are easily crack’d, and never well mended.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Better slip with foot than tongue.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
If you’d know the Value of Money, go and borrow some.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
The Proud hate Pride—in others.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
God helps them that help themselves.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Have you somewhat to do tomorrow; do it today.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Wish not so much to live long as to live well.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
The worst wheel of the cart makes the most noise.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Diligence overcomes Difficulties, Sloth makes them.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
An empty bag will not stand upright.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
He that can compose himself, is wiser than he that composes books.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
He’s a Fool that cannot conceal his Wisdom.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Having been poor is no shame, but being ashamed of it, is.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
If you desire many things, many things will seem but a few.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Beware of him that is slow to anger: He is angry for some thing, and will not be pleased for nothing.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Humility makes great men twice honourable.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
The Sting of a Reproach, is the Truth of it.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
How many observe Christ’s Birth-day! How few, his Precepts! O! ’tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Think of three Things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Virtue may not always make a Face handsome, but Vice will certainly make it ugly.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
To-morrow, every fault is to be amended; but that To-morrow never comes.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
The things which hurt, instruct.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
By diligence and patience, the mouse bit in two the cable.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
He that’s content, hath enough; He that complains, has too much.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
If time be of all things most precious, wasting time must be the greatest prodigality, since lost time is never found again.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Necessity never made a good bargain.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
A great Talker may be no Fool, but he is one that relies on him.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Approve not of him who commends all you say.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
When the Well’s dry, we know the Worth of Water.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
They that won’t be counselled, can’t be helped.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Tell a miser he’s rich, and a woman she’s old, you’ll get no money of one, nor kindness of t’other.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Tell me my Faults, and mend your own. Men take more pains to mask than mend.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Poverty wants some things, Luxury many things, Avarice all things.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Anger is never without a Reason, but seldom with a good One.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
A Temper to bear much, will have much to bear.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
If Man could have Half his Wishes, he would double his Troubles.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Lost time is never found again.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Want of Care does us more Damage than Want of Knowledge.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Hunger never saw bad bread.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
God helps them that help themselves.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Speak little, do much.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
The Wolf sheds his Coat once a Year, his Disposition never.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
To err is human, to repent divine, to persist devilish.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
When you’re good to others, you are best to yourself.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
He that waits upon fortune, is never sure of a dinner.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Do not do what you would not have known.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Haste makes waste.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
He that is rich need not live sparingly, and he that can live sparingly need not be rich.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Half the Truth is often a great Lie.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Diligence is the mother of good luck.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
No gains without pains.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
There are lazy Minds as well as lazy Bodies.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Be slow in chusing a Friend, slower in changing.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
He that lives upon Hope, dies fasting.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
The Sun never repents of the good he does, nor does he ever demand a recompence.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Love, and be loved.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
What signifies your Patience, if you can’t find it when you want it.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Fish & visitors stink in 3 days.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Sin is not harmful because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it is hurtful.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Be neither silly, nor cunning, but wise.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
They who have nothing to be troubled at, will be troubled at nothing.
—Benjamin Franklin (American Political leader)
Franklin was a doyen of the self-improvement movement. His methods for self-mastery are worth taking a serious look at if you’re interested in getting better at anything in life. He was the unlikely father of self-help and his Autobiography (1793) remains a popular self-help book.