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Ben Franklin Quotes

Fill the blanks in these quotes and proverbs invented or popularized by Ben Franklin.
Some quotes paraphrased
Ben Franklin is not the original author of all these quotes
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Last updated: April 3, 2020
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First submittedNovember 24, 2010
Times taken25,764
Average score55.6%
Rating4.45
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Quote or Proverb
A penny saved is a penny earned
Nothing is certain but death and taxes
God helps those who help themselves
Haste makes waste
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise
Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults
Fish and visitors stink in three days
Time is money
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
Half of the truth is often a great lie
We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately
Beer is living proof that God loves us, and wants us to be happy
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither and lose both
Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today
Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead
If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed
He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas
There was never a good war or a bad peace
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24 Comments
kalbahamut
+2
Level 79
Jul 11, 2013
I tried "enemy" for enemies and a few other things before giving up. I've heard the quote about giving up liberty for the sake of security will deserve neither and lose both a bit differently- tried security at first but did eventually guess safety.
ander217
+1
Level 73
Sep 21, 2015
Same here. I heard several of these quotes used in the movie, "1776".
OatyBar
+1
Level 30
Jul 11, 2013
You should add the end of the quote "He who would give up a little liberty for a little temporary safety will deserve neither and lose both."
blinky
+11
Level 57
Jan 2, 2017
Hence, The Patriot Act.
cpgatbyu
+1
Level 88
Sep 12, 2017
Wikipedia: "[Franklin's] efforts proved vital for the American Revolution in securing shipments of crucial munitions from France." What in the world did Franklin want with munitions, if there's no such thing as a good war?
mrnafe
+11
Level 84
Jan 26, 2018
I imagine he'd have preferred a peaceful settlement, but us English were unlikely to grant one to the Americans. Very clever chap Mr Franklin.
Koopa
+1
Level 88
Jul 8, 2024
we
POOCH
+9
Level 71
Jul 30, 2018
Of course there are no good wars, but sometime there are necessary wars. Would you prefer to live under a regime controlled by Pol Pot or fight for your life, your family, and their future? I'm not comparing King George to Pol Pot. He was just the first extreme dictator that came to mind.
TrajanDecius
+4
Level 41
Dec 4, 2018
I would consider adding the noteworthy "fart proudly". (He did write an essay to a whole academy, after all!)
E22G
+19
Level 67
Feb 21, 2020
Greatest president in US history......he was so humble to never mention his inventions of freedom and electricity.
roleybob
+4
Level 73
Apr 4, 2020
He wasn't president of the US...

Edit: Oh, inventions of freedom and electricity... you're joking aren't you

E22G
+9
Level 67
Oct 5, 2020
You are part of a brutal pandemic sweeping this nation....not COVID.....Franklin Derangement Syndrome. He was our first and greatest president. Much like the US is the oldest and greatest country on earth.
thirza
+1
Level 44
Jan 26, 2023
oldest? how do you make that out? or is this a joke?
mf3
+2
Level 90
Apr 4, 2020
I'm pretty sure the beer one is total internet fakery.
Quizmaster
+8
Level ∞
Apr 5, 2020
Here's the full and accurate quote:

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; there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.

kapulani3
+4
Level 75
Apr 5, 2020
The man was a partier -- loved the ladies and drink. Don't let his influence in the founding of the country delude you into thinking he was a solemn man. Don't fall into the trap that many people do that think alcohol and carousing is something only their generation does. For centuries before we were born people have been loving their alcohol and were the "cool kids" of their time.
Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
Sep 13, 2025
I'm currently reading his biography by Walter Isaacson.

Franklin was a complicated man, and certainly a lover of wine and women.

But I think we should be a little cautious about looking at historical people and projecting our modern attitudes about sex onto them.

Much of his famous "womanizing" was in the form of romantic, flirtatious relationships with women, but not necessarily consummated sexual relationships. In his letters to Madame Brillon and Madame Helvétius, he playfully complains about their lack of sexual affection. (Although we'll never know what happened behind closed doors).

Sex in the 18th century carried risks of pregnancy and STDs and, for women, a risk of social ruin.

Quizmaster
+3
Level ∞
Sep 13, 2025
The strangest thing about Franklin was that he actually liked living in London more than Philadelphia.

He went to London as a colonial agent for 5 years, came back to Philadelphia briefly, and then returned to stay in London for another 11 years.

During this time, he basically acted like the husband of his landlady, Mrs. Stevenson. Meanwhile, back in Philadelphia, his actual wife got sick and begged Franklin to return. He didn't, and she eventually died.

He only returned to America after war broke out and it seemed like he was no longer safe in Great Britain.

plattitude
+6
Level 94
Apr 6, 2020
When you fill out the last one with "bad pizza," you know it's time to go get lunch.
RobNobody
+2
Level 80
May 14, 2024
There is definitely such a thing as bad pizza.
taylorswift45
+2
Level 56
Mar 15, 2024
goat
Koopa
+1
Level 88
Oct 27, 2025
"Chocolate‽ Where did you acquire it‽ That is a delicacy in the Amazon, but it is not yet imported to the United States."
DesolationRow
+3
Level 53
Oct 30, 2025
Mf was definitely sitting there nodding to himself while writing these like "oh yeah this one is definitely a banger"
hwes
+1
Level 89
Oct 30, 2025
Since beer or wine is both accepted, shouldn't alcohol be good enough? Now if whiskey was the correct drink I would see the need to be specific.
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