Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies
Erich Fromm (1900-1980) American psychoanalyst and social philosopher
The Sane Society (1955)
The great threat to freedom is the concentration of power.
Milton Friedman (1912-2006) American economist, intellectual
Introduction to Capitalism and Freedom (1962)
The scientific name for an animal that doesn’t either run from or fight its enemies is “lunch.”
(Other Authors and Sources)
Michael Friedman
What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Austrian psychoanalyst and neurologist
Letter to Ernest Jones (Jan 1933)
(Source)
Regarding Nazi book burnings in Germany. Reprinted in Jones, Sigmund Freud: Life and Work, Vol. 3, Part 1, ch. 4 (1957).
The first human who hurled an insult instead of a stone was the founder of civilization.
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Austrian psychoanalyst and neurologist
(Attributed)
You may delay, but Time will not.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
(Attributed)
He that is of Opinion Money will do every Thing, may well be suspected of doing every Thing for Money.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1753)
See also Halifax.
Who has deceived thee so oft as thyself?
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack
Contentment makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack
Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1756)
Do good to thy friend to keep him, to thy enemy to gain him.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1734)
(Source)
The learned fool writes his nonsense in better language than the unlearned, but still ’tis nonsense.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
(Attributed)
We hear of the conversion of water into wine at the marriage in Cana, as of a miracle. But this conversion is, through the goodness of God, made every day before our eyes. Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, and which incorporates itself with the grapes to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy!
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Letter to Abbé Morallet (1779)
(Source)
Apparent origin of the misquote: "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
The body of Benjamin Franklin, Printer (like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out and stripped of its lettering and gilding), lies here, food for worms; but the work shall not be lost, for it will (as he believed) appear once more in a new and more elegant edition, revised and corrected by the author.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
“Epitaph on Himself” (1778)
Variant words (and format):The body of
B. Franklin
Printer
Like the cover of an old book,
its contents torn out,
and stripped of its lettering and gilding,
lies here, food for worms.
But the work shall not be wholly lost;
for it will, as he believed, appear once more,
in a new and more perfect edition
corrected and amended
by the Author.
I haven’t failed, I’ve found ten thousand ways that don’t work.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
(Attributed)
(also attrib. Thomas Edison)
Work as if you were to live 100 years; pray as if you were to die tomorrow.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack (May 1757)
(Source)
There is no kind of dishonesty into which otherwise good people more easily and frequently fall than that of defrauding the government.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
(Attributed)
Be at War with your Vices, at Peace with your Neighbours, and let every New-Year find you a better Man.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1755)
More information on this quotation here.
If we take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
(Attributed)
Many a little makes a mickle. Beware of small expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack
Blame-all and Praise-all are two blockheads.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard (1734 ed.)
(Source)
Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure, when he is really selling himself to it.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
(Attributed)
Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack (1757)
Were it offered to my choice, I should have no objection to a repetition of the same life from its beginning, only asking the advantages authors have in a second edition to correct some faults in the first.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Autobiography, ch. 1
He who multiplies riches multiplies cares.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
(Attributed)
If Passion drives, let Reason hold the Reins.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack (May 1749)
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
“Reply to the Governor,” Pennsylvania Assembly (11 Nov 1755)
Also given as, "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." (cited Historical Review of Pennsylvania (1759))
Hear reason, or she’ll make you feel her.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
(Attributed)
Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it.
Irving Berlin (1888-1989) American songwriter [b. Isidore Beilin]
(Attributed)
(Source)
Attributed as a comment made by Berlin during a performance of the show This is the Army, Mr. Jones at the Palladium in London in 1943.
Also sometimes attributed to Benjamin Franklin.
It is Ill-manners to silence a fool, and Cruelty to let him go on.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack
A good example is the best sermon.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack
Necessity never made a good bargain.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack (Apr. 1735)
Genius without education is like silver in the mine.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman, scientist, philosopher, aphorist
Poor Richard’s Almanack (Aug 1750)
Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) German-American psychologist, writer
Man’s Search for Meaning (1959)
Humor is another of the soul’s weapons in the fight for self-preservation. It is well known that humor more than anything else in the human makeup, can afford an aloofness and an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds.
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) German-American psychologist, writer
Man’s Search for Meaning (1959)
We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) German-American psychologist, writer
Man’s Search for Meaning, Part 1 (1959)
(Source)
What is to give light must endure burning.
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) German-American psychologist, writer
(1963)
We had to learn ourselves and furthermore, we had to teach the despairing men, that it did not really matter what we expected from life but rather what life expected from us! We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct.
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) German-American psychologist, writer
Man’s Search for Meaning (1959)
Since Auschwitz we know what man is capable of. And since Hiroshima we know what is at stake.
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) German-American psychologist, writer
Man’s Search for Meaning (1959)
No man should judge unless he asks himself in absolute honesty whether in a similar situation he might not have done the same.
Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) German-American psychologist, writer
Man’s Search for Meaning (1959)
A clean desk is a sign of an empty mind.
Felix Frankfurter (1882-1965) US Supreme Court Justice, jurist and teacher
(Attributed)
It is a fair summary of history to say that the safeguards of liberty have frequently been forged … [by] not very nice people.
Felix Frankfurter (1882-1965) US Supreme Court Justice, jurist and teacher
United States v. Rabinowitz, 339 US 56, 69 (dissenting) (1950)
One of the prerogatives of American citizenship is the right to criticize public men and measures — and that means not only informed and responsible criticism, but the freedom to speak foolishly and without moderation.
Felix Frankfurter (1882-1965) US Supreme Court Justice, jurist and teacher
Baumgartner v. United States, 322 U.S. 665 (1944)
The history of liberty is the history of the observances of procedural safeguards.
Felix Frankfurter (1882-1965) US Supreme Court Justice, jurist and teacher
McNabb v. United States (1943)
Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly.
Rose Franken (1925-1966) American novelist and playwright
(Attributed)
HAWKINS: I’ve got it! I’ve got it! The pellet with the poison’s in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true! Right?
GRISELDA: Right. But there’s been a change: they broke the chalice from the palace!
HAWKINS: They broke the chalice from the palace?
GRISELDA: And replaced it with a flagon.
HAWKINS: A flagon…?
GRISELDA: With the figure of a dragon.
HAWKINS: Flagon with a dragon.
GRISELDA: Right.
HAWKINS: But did you put the pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle?
GRISELDA: No! The pellet with the poison’s in the flagon with the dragon! The vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true!
HAWKINS: The pellet with the poison’s in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.
GRISELDA: Just remember that.Melvin Frank (1913-1988) American screenwriter, director
The Court Jester (1956)
(with Norman Panama)
Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.
Anne Frank (1929-1945) German-Dutch Jewish diarist
Diary
In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.
Anne Frank (1929-1945) German-Dutch Jewish diarist
Diary (1944-07-15)
tr. B. M. Mooyart-Doubleday, 1952
I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.
Anne Frank (1929-1945) German-Dutch Jewish diarist
Diary
How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.
Anne Frank (1929-1945) German-Dutch Jewish diarist
Diary
Fear is a greater evil than the evil itself.
François de Sales (1567-1622) French bishop, saint, writer [a.k.a. Francis de Sales, b. François de Boisy]
Letters to Persons in the World, 6,12
A brave man can easily bear with contempt, slander, and false accusations from an evil world; but to bear such injustice at the hands of good men, of friends and relations, is a great test of patience.
François de Sales (1567-1622) French bishop, saint, writer [a.k.a. Francis de Sales, b. François de Boisy]
Introduction to a Devout Life, Part III, no. 3, “On Patience” (1618)
Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself.
François de Sales (1567-1622) French bishop, saint, writer [a.k.a. Francis de Sales, b. François de Boisy]
(Attributed)
Nothing is so strong as gentleness; nothing so gentle as real strength.
François de Sales (1567-1622) French bishop, saint, writer [a.k.a. Francis de Sales, b. François de Boisy]
(Attributed)
He prays well who is so absorbed with God that he does not know he is praying.
François de Sales (1567-1622) French bishop, saint, writer [a.k.a. Francis de Sales, b. François de Boisy]
(Attributed)