Benjamin Franklin

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, tho' it never produced any fruit.

Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

To be rich is to have many servants, to be poor is to have many masters.

Glass, China, and Reputation, are easily crack'd, and never well mended.

In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength, in water there is bacteria.

Without vanity, without an ostentatious display of learning, and without any other object than the good of the public, he is always ready to communicate his knowledge to others.

Search others for their virtues, thy self for thy vices.

The way to see faith is to shut our eyes to that which is called reason.

A man's own manner of living is a perpetual sermon.

Nothing is certain except death and taxes.

God helps them that help themselves.

Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is only buying himself trouble.

He that is used to go to bed hungry, and rise early, may be a good workman, but he is a bad master.

Who has deceived thee as often as thyself?

Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure.

Beware of the young doctor and the old barber.

He that has a wife and children, has given hostages to fortune.

The greatest monarch on the proudest throne, is oblig'd to sit upon his own bottom.

To err is human, to repent divine, to persist devilish.