It was an ordinary day. Reading my email and found one interesting email that was titled "Twenty Enduring Proverbs Written By Ben Franklin." The email went on to tell me that the founding father's yearly almanac was famous for its witty aphorisms and practical proverbs. Well, first I had to figure out what a witty aphorism might be. Have any idea? Just in case you don't know, it is an observation that contains a general truth. Also can be a concise statement of a scientific principle, typically by an ancient classical author. A bit more will tell you that an aphorism is used to teach a lesson while speaking in plain terms. Ah...I like descriptions "in plain terms!" Well, I continued on and found the twenty proverbs that were allegedly written by Mr. Franklin in the 1700s. Follow along and see if Mr. Franklin's proverbs may be of any help to you....
Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every New Year find you a better man.
Diligence is the mother of good luck.
Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults.
He that would live in peace and at ease, must not speak all he knows or judge all he sees.
Great beauty, great strength, and great riches are really and truly of no great use; a right heart exceeds all.
He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.
The sting of a reproach, is the truth of it.
Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man.
Beware of little expenses: A small leak will sink a great ship.
Hide not your talents, they for use were made: What’s a sun-dial in the shade?
Do you love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.
Well done is better than well said.
Glass, china, and reputation, are easily crack’d, and never well mended.
He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fleas.
Genius without education is like silver in the mine.
If man could have half his wishes, he would double his troubles.
The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one.
Don’t throw stones at your neighbors, if your own windows are glass.
A true friend is the best possession.
Wish not so much to live long as to live well.
I have read Mr. Franklin's proverbs over and over again and think I understand most of them, but I'm not sure all of them can be of help to me. A man as intelligent as Mr. Franklin must have written the proverbs with most everyone in mind. It was said that Mr. Franklin was a man of many talents such as: scientist, inventor, statesman, writer, political philosopher and founding father. A "Go To" type of guy. His "Poor Richard's Almanac" was one of the most well-known publications in American history. It became one of the most widely read secular pamphlets in colonial America, selling around 10,000 copies annually. It became so popular that Napoleon Bonaparte had it translated into Italian. Mr. Franklin was not only a scholar, but a really nice guy! The kind of nice guy who was also a scientist, inventor, etc. The kind of guy who could write a really nice proverb! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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