20 Enduring Proverbs Written by Ben Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was a man of many talents: scientist, inventor, statesman, writer, political philosopher, and Founding Father. His greatest financial success, however, came from printing and publishing, most notably the Pennsylvania Gazette and Poor Richard’s Almanac.
The latter was first published in 1732, with a new edition printed every year until 1758. It became one of the most widely read secular pamphlets in colonial America, selling around 10,000 copies annually. It was so popular, in fact, that Napoleon Bonaparte had it translated into Italian.
Franklin wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac under the pseudonym of Poor Richard, or Richard Saunders, a name he borrowed from the author of a popular almanac published in London. Franklin’s almanac contained all sorts of information, including the calendar, weather predictions, poems, recipes, and trivia. But it was most famous for its witty aphorisms and practical proverbs that covered a range of subjects, from industry and frugality to hard work and the pleasures of a simple life.
Franklin considered his almanac as literature for the masses, suitable for common people who couldn’t necessarily afford books. The sayings ranged from serious to cynical to funny (“Fish and visitors stink in three days”) but generally offered some kind of practical or moral instruction. Some of the aphorisms, such as “No gains without pains” and “Haste makes waste,” were already in existence before Franklin included them in his almanac — but he certainly helped solidify such expressions in American vernacular.
Hundreds of sayings were published in Poor Richard’s Almanac over the years. Some, especially those related to colonial financial dealings, make little sense to the modern reader. Others, however, such as the 20 quotes below, remain just as relevant now as they did back then.
