知足

穷人几乎什么都没有，乞丐真的一无所有，富人总是应有尽有，但知足的没有一人。
The poor have little, beggars none, the rich too much, enough not one.

贪心和幸福像两条平行线，永远不会相交。
Avarice and Happiness never saw each other, how then shou'd they become acquainted.

贪心越多，得到的便越少。
If you desire many things, many things will seem but a few.

心无烦心事，自得悠闲心。
They who have nothing to be troubled at, will be troubled at nothing.

谁最强大？能克服自己坏习惯的人。谁最富有？那些知足常乐的人。
Who is strong? He that can conquer his bad Habits. Who is rich? He that rejoices in his Portion.

知足把穷人变成富人，不知足把富人变成穷人。
Content makes poor men rich;Discontent makes rich Men poor.

不满足的人难以找到舒坦的椅子。
The discontented Man finds no easy Chair.

交际

对别人好，其实是对你自己最好 （善待别人，终得善待）。
When you're good to others, you are best to yourself.

不能容忍别人没有教养的行为的人，就是没有修养的人。
He is not well-bred, that cannot bear Ill-Breeding in others.

不三不四的朋友好比阴影一样，只有在太阳照耀下才会出现。
A false Friend and a Shadow, attend only while the Sun shines.

尊重所有人，服务很多人，认识几个人，和一个人成为挚友，不和任何人为敌。
Be civil to all; serviceable to many; familiar with few; Friend to one; Enemy to none.

与傻瓜生活，整天吃吃喝喝；和智者生活，时时勤于求索。
Life with Fools consists in Drinking; With the wise Man Living's Thinking.

友之间做买卖，话要说清楚，事要记在心，这样的朋友才是永远的朋友。
When a Friend deals with a Friend Let the Bargain be clear and well penn'd, That they may continue Friends to the End.

爱你的邻居，就别把篱笆拆掉。
Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.

和狗睡一块，身上必定有虱子。
He that lies down with Dogs, shall rise up with fleas.

和流氓做生意，既不会有信誉，也不会有收益。
There is neither honour nor gain, got in dealing with a villain.

根据一个人的内在品质而不是根据他拥有的东西来看待一个人。
Don't value a man for the Quality he is of, but for the Qualities he possesses.

三个好汉也能保存秘密，前提是其中两个已经死了。
Three may keep a Secret, if two of them are dead.

宁愿承受来自他人的伤害，也不要选择主动去伤害他人。
It is better to take many Injuries than to give one.

不看他人信件，不偷他人钱财，不听他人秘密。
Nor Eye in a letter, nor Hand in a purse, nor Ear in the secret of another.

礼物可以让人们更快地接受我们。
Gifts burst rocks.

把你的不满埋在心底，让它成为你个人的秘密。
Let thy Discontents be Secrets.

他人助我，没齿不忘；我助他人，不放心上。
When befriended, remember it;When you befriend, forget it.

永不奉承人，永不贬损人。
Neither praise nor dispraise, till seven Christmasses be over.

请把不满埋在心底，过多的抱怨使自己心怀怨恨，也会让不满加倍。
Let thy discontents be thy Secrets; if the world knows them, 'twill despise thee and increase them.

我们需要宽容别人对我们的伤害；更需要避免别人对我们造成伤害。
Christianity commands us to pass by Injuries; Policy, to let them pass by us.

受了伤害后能宽恕别人，是高尚；不把伤害放在心上，是气魄。这些都比受到伤害去报复别人强。
It is more noble to forgive, and more manly to despise, than to revenge an Injury.

什么事情都烦不了他的人，没有什么会烦到他。
They who have nothing to trouble them, will be troubled at nothing.

提防那些慢慢生气的人：他会为了某件事情而生气，而不会平白无故就高兴起来。
Beware of him that is slow to anger: He is angry for something,and will not be pleased for nothing.

先学会去爱人，才能被爱。
Love, and be lov'd.

让所有人了解你，但不要让人轻易把你看透：水浅被脚踏过，心浅遭人欺负。
Let all Men know thee, but no man know thee thoroughly: Men freely ford that see the shallows.

自己喝酒不与人分享，遇到难事无人相助。
He that drinks his Cyder alone, let him catch his Horse alone.

刻恩惠于磐石上，弃伤害于尘土中。
Write Injuries in Dust, Benefits in Marble.

明智的人不探秘，诚实的人不揭秘。
It is wise not to seek a Secret, and Honest not to reveal it.

慷慨不是给得多，而是给得巧。
Liberality is not giving much but giving wisely.

狐狸都会变老，但没几只能变好。
Many foxes grow grey, but few grow good.

聪明人善于从敌人身上夺取优势，傻瓜只知道向朋友索取。
The wise Man draws more Advantage from his Enemies, than the Fool from his Friends.

说话

舌头快，麻烦多。
Tongue double, brings trouble.

愚蠢的人，先开口再去想；聪明的人，先想好再开口。
The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.

劝说一个人时，要诉诸利益，而不是诉诸理性。
Would you persuade, speak of Interest, not of Reason.

如果想让自己活得快活、宁静，就不要随意评价他人，也不要随便说出他人的秘密。
He that would live in peace & at ease, Must not speak all he knows, nor judge all he sees.

如果有人奉承我，我也会奉承他，虽然他是我最好的朋友。（好话不怕多说几次。）
If any man flatters me, I'll flatter him again; tho' he were my best Friend.

既不要听信朋友讲的关于别人的坏话，也不要讲自己讨厌的人的坏话。
Hear no ill of a Friend, nor speak any of an Enemy.

待人有礼、给人建议以及赞美别人，都不需要你花钱（却可以使关系更融洽），要舍得这样做。
Be not niggardly of what coststhee nothing, as courtesy, counsel, & countenance.

谈论任何人，都不可以用轻蔑的口吻，无论他是国王，还是奴隶，因为小小的蜜蜂也有并且会使用那一根刺。
Speak with contempt of none, from slave to king, The meanest Bee hath, and will use, a sting.

语言刻薄难交友。一小勺蜜比一大瓶醋更能捉住苍蝇。
Tart Words make no Friends: a spoonful of honey will catch more flies than Gallon of Vinegar.

哈里·斯迈特对什么事情都要评论一番。（不要评头论足）
Harry Smatter, has a Mouth for every Matter.

沉默并不总是聪明的象征，但喋喋不休永远是愚蠢的表现。
Silence is not always a Sign ofWisdom, but Babbling is ever a Mark of Folly.

一双善于倾听的耳朵，胜过一百张能说的嘴巴。
A Pair of good Ears will drain dry an hundred Tongues.

财富

拆东墙补西墙过日子的人永远不能独立生活。
Strange, that he who lives by Shifts, can seldom shift himself.

不熟悉的就不要去做。
Do not do that which you would not have known.

有耐心，就有一切。
He that can have Patience, can have what he will.

丢了1分钱，并不仅仅是丢了1分钱的问题，他还自动放弃了用这1分钱来赚钱的所有机会。如果抓住了这样的机会，到年老时，你可能是腰缠万贯的富翁了。

好好打理你的生意，别让自己成为生意的奴隶。
Drive thy business; let not that drive thee.

钱少，是一个很重的惩罚。
A light purse is a heavy Curse.

假如财富是属于你的，那为什么你死的时候不把它随身带走？
If your Riches are yours, why don't you take them with you to the t'other World?

在市场上要有耐心，这样才不至于做亏本买卖。
Patience in Market, is worth Pounds in a Year.

有钱就赚，赚到就好，这是点石成金的诀窍。
Get what you can, and what you get, hold; It is the Stone that will turn all your Lead into Gold.

撒谎还只是第二恶习，第一恶习是负债。
The second Vice is Lying; The first is running in Debt．

规则一：眼前之事，自己决定，不要过分相信仆人和朋友，朋友之言也许颇为有理，但鲜有仆人对你真心实意。
PRECEPT I. In Things of moment, on thy self depend, Nor trust too far thy Servant or thy Friend: With private Views, thy Friend may promise fair, And Servants very seldom prove sincere.

规则二：当日事当日毕，工作要仔细。拖延耽误常会出意外，遥远的未来捉摸不定，财富虽美好抓住不易。
PRECEPT II. What can be done, with Care perform to Day, Dangers unthought-of will attend Delay; Your distant Prospects all precarious are, And Fortune is as fickle as she's fair.

则三：小损小益，不可轻视。涓涓细流，汇聚成海，珍惜每分收获，绝不任意挥霍，积沙成塔，终成大业。
PRECEPT III. Nor trivial Loss, nor trivial Gain despise; Molehills, if often heap'd, to Mountains rise: Weigh every small Expence, and nothing waste, Farthings long sav'd, amount to Pounds at last.

节俭

很多人败家，是因为买了不值钱的东西。
Many have been ruin'd by buying good pennyworths.

如果你知道如何多赚少花，你就掌握了致富的秘诀。
If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the Philosophers-Stone.

计划开支，不仅可以把控好自己的生活，还能在他人需要时提供帮助。
He that buys by the penny, maintains not only himself, but other people.

随便买你不需要的东西，不久之后，你就得卖掉你需要的东西（胡乱买东西，钱包空得快）。
Buy what thou hast no need of;and e'er long thou shalt sell thy necessaries.

节约才能富有，挥霍导致乞求。
Spare and have is better than spend and crave.

要想发家致富，思考节省，要多于思考收入。因为拥有印度群岛，也无法使西班牙富足，因为她支出等于收入。
If you'd be wealthy, think of saving, more than of getting: The Indies have not made Spain rich, because her Outgoes equal her Incomes.

注意小开销，漏洞虽小，但能沉大船。
Beware of little Expences, a small Leak will sink a great Ship.

一分钱花得好，等于省一块钱。
It is a well spent penny that saves a groat.

致富之道大多在于节俭。挣钱的本事有高有低，省钱却人人都可做到。
The Art of getting Riches consists very much in THRIFT. All Men are not equally qualified for getting Money, but it is in the Power of every one alike to practise this Virtue.

美德

假如你既聪明又有学问，那就再添上智慧和谦逊吧。
If thou hast wit & learning, add to it Wisdom and Modesty.

品德高尚的人，比王子还快乐。
You may be more happy than Princes, if you will be more virtuous.

谦虚的背后藏着优秀的品德。
Great Modesty often hides great Merit.

孩子要学习的两大优点是：拥有美德和精通一技之长。
Virtue and a Trade, are a Child's best Portion.

诚实的人不接受来路不明的钱财，也不接受不该获得的称赞。
An honest Man will receive neither Money nor Praise, that is not his Due.

青年人总是活跃而冒失，老年人谦逊而不盲从。没有成熟的玉米穗傲然挺立，但当它结穗、长实和成熟了的时候，它便低下了头。
Youth is pert and positive, Age modest and doubting: So Ears of Corn when young and light, stand bolt upright, but hang their Heads when weighty, full, and ripe.

不要出卖美德以换取财富，也不要出卖自由以换取权力。
Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power.

成功毁掉很多人。
Success has ruin'd many a Man.

好的翻译使原文文采更好，谦恭使其他美德更加突出。
A Cypher and Humility make the other Figures & Virtues of ten-fold Value.

要挫败敌人吗？先得自己刚直不阿。
Wouldst thou confound thine Enemy, be good thy self.

付出你拥有的，你才知道自己到底拥有什么。
Pay what you owe, and whatyou're worth you'll know.

让恶习在你去世之前消失。
Let thy vices die before thee.

读书使人充实，沉思使人深刻，交流使人聪慧。
Reading makes a full Man, Meditation a profound Man, discourse a clear Man.

想要日子好过又长寿，就得远离愚昧和邪恶。
If you wouldst live long, live well; for Folly and Wickedness shorten Life.

对显而易见的美丽视而不见，对每一个瑕疵却很挑剔，这是妒忌在作祟。
To all apparent Beauties, blind, Each Blemish, strikes, an envious Mind

兑现承诺会给你带来朋友，言而无信会将朋友变成敌人。
Promises may get thee Friends, but Nonperformance will turn them into Enemies.

寻找美德，拥有美德，其他的事情，就交给老天爷处理吧。
Seek Virtue, and, of that possest, To Providence, resign the rest.

有钱又懂礼，才是真绅士。
Money and good Manners make the Gentleman.

这里的女士的鼻子，闻不惯阿拉伯的香料；宾州深谙音律的人，听不懂中国的丝竹之音，也不习惯吃最精致的日本莱，住不惯别的国家的豪华宫殿。但是，高尚之人的慈善之心，每每见于善行之举，无论身处世界的哪个角落，都一样感到欣慰无比。

一个人没有比时时拥有善良更好的财富了。
A Man has no more Goods than he gets Good by.

伤害敌人，使敌人占上风；报复敌人，你跟他不相上下；原谅敌人，你就占了上风。
Doing an Injury puts you below your Enemy; Revenging one makes you but even with him; Forgiving it sets you above him.

生活

很多人觉得自己花钱是为了买来快乐，却不知已被快乐奴役。
Many a Man thinks he is buying Pleasure, when he is really selling himself a Slave to it.

不轻信、不争吵、不赌博、不欠债，便能平安到老。
Neither trust, nor contend, nor lay wagers, nor lend; And you'll have peace to your Lives end.

活得长不一定活得好，但活得好就能活得长。
A long Life may not be good enough, but a good Life is long enough.

智者除了正当收获、适当开支、快乐分享、满意离去之外，别无所求。
A wise Man will desire no more, than what he may get justly, use soberly, distribute chearfully, and leave contentedly.

拥有了手艺，就拥有了名利。
He that has a Trade, has an Office of Profit and Honour.

少吃晚餐，少生病。
Eat few Suppers, and you'll need few Medicines.

饮食应当有规律，既要按时吃饭，也要定质定量（不要饱一顿饥一顿）。
The exact Quantity and Quality being found out, is to be kept to constantly.

凡事不可过度，包括吃肉和喝酒。
Excess in all other Thingswhatever, as well as in Meat and Drink, is also to be avoided.

虽然难以确切知道自己的食量，但要为需要而吃，而不是为享受而吃，因为享受从不在乎需要。
The Difficulty lies, in finding out an exact Measure; but eat for Necessity, not Pleasure, for Lustknows not where Necessity ends.

胃能消化足量的饮食，但是往往超过身体营养的需要量。
That Quantity that is sufficient, the Stomach can perfectly concoct and digest, and it sufficeth the due Nourishment of the Body.

想长寿、健康、灵敏，享受上帝的造化，首要的是通过劳动使饮食适度。
Wouldst thou enjoy a long Life, a healthy Body, and a vigorous Mind, and be acquainted also with the wonderful Works of God? labour in the first place to bring thy Appetite into Subjection to Reason.

如果饭后身体发沉、头脑发闷，说明你暴饮暴食。因为饮食只是为了补充体力、有益身心健康，而不是为身体增添负担。
If thou art dull and heavy after Meat, it's a sign thou hast exceeded the due Measure; for Meat and Drink ought to refresh the Body, and make it chearful, and not to dull and oppress it.

饮食有节制，能助人平安死去，能使感觉保持灵敏，能压制狂热和激动，提高记忆力，增强理解力，平息火热的情欲。
A sober Diet makes a Man die without Pain; it maintains the Senses in Vigour; it mitigates the Violence of Passions and Affections. It preserves the Memory, it helps the Understanding, it allays the Heat of Lust.

醉酒，是一切恶习中最邪恶的一种，它使一些人变成傻瓜， 一些人变成禽兽，一些人变成魔鬼。
Drunkenness, that worst ofEvils, makes some Men Fools, some Beasts, some Devils.

会吃之人，难得遇到一顿可口的美餐。
Nice Eaters seldom meet with a good Dinner.

未雨绸缪

饿着肚子睡觉，胜过第二天为早餐发愁。
Rather go to bed supperless, than run in debt for a Breakfast.

要种就种好果子，要么什么也别种。
Graft good Fruit all, or graft not at all.

一生难免穷老，未雨及时绸缪。早上的太阳，迟早要落下。
For Age and Want save while you may; No Morning Sun lasts a whole Day.

勤勉

日上三竿方起床，三更半夜还在忙。
He that riseth late, must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night.

要领先一步，就步步都要领先。使人失败的不仅是管理不善，还有生性懒惰，该上午做完的事，却拖到下午。
He that would be beforehand in the World, must be beforehand with his Business: It is not only ill Management, but discovers a slothful Disposition, to do that in the Afternoon, which should have been done in the Morning.

忙碌的人们很少有闲客来访；沸腾的锅里绝不会落入苍蝇。
The busy Man has few idle Visitors; to the boiling Pot the Flies come not.

学知识靠勤奋，致富靠谨慎，当官靠胆大，上天堂靠行善。
Learning to the Studious; Riches to the Careful; Power to the Bold; Heaven to the Virtuous.

少说话，多做事。
Speak little, do much.

勤劳之人克服困难，懒惰之人制造困难。
Diligence overcomes Difficulties, Sloth makes them.

闲懒之人生事端；安逸背后藏劳苦。
Trouble springs from Idleness; Toil from Ease.

努力犁地耕田吧，在懒鬼睡大觉的时候；稳稳地去拿钱吧，在你的收成卖出去的时候。
Plough deep, while Sluggards sleep; And you shall have Corn, to sell and to keep.

懒惰在前面慢慢地走，贫穷很快就赶上来。
Laziness travels so slowly, that Poverty soon overtakes him.

别愚弄自己

很多人都埋怨自己的记忆力差，却很少反省自己判断力差。
Many complain of their Memory, few of their Judgment.

世上最容易的事情是自己骗自己。
It's the easiest Thing in the World for a Man to deceive himself.

指责给你带来的刺痛，正是真相之所在。
The Sting of a Reproach, is the Truth of it.

理性有缺，信仰不足。
You've just so much more Need of Faith, as you have less of Reason.

控制自己的激情，你就驾驭了自己；不控制自己的狂热，你就会被别人驾驭。
He is a Governor that governs his Passions, and he a Servant thatserves them.

谁对一个人的判断最准确？是他自己还是他的敌人？
Who judges best of a Man, his Enemies or himself?

失意时，没有人了解；得意时，不了解自己。
When out of Favour, none know thee; when in, thou dost not know thyself.

你可能有时犯大错，是因为你认为自己永远正确。
You may sometimes be much in the wrong, in owning your being in the right.

自作聪明是最低级的愚蠢，其次是自夸，再次是藐视讨论。
The first Degree of Folly, is to conceit one's self wise; the second to profess it; the third to despise Counsel.

人生在世，之所以得救，不是靠信仰，而是靠对信仰的渴望。
In the Affairs of this World Men are saved, not by Faith, but by the Want of it.

好运者为好运所累。
He that hath no ill Fortune will be troubled with good.

恃才自傲，是被强光弄花了双眼；恃德自傲，是解毒药吃多了。
To be proud of Knowledge, is to be blind with Light; to be proud of Virtue, is to poison yourself with the Antidote.

珍惜时间

你热爱生活吗？那就不要浪费时间，因为时间乃生命之本。
Do you love Life? then do not squander Time; for that's the Stuff Life is made of.

无知不是耻辱，不学习才是真正的耻辱。
Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn.

习惯

一个恶习滋生两个恶习。
What maintains one Vice would bring up two Children.

一个傻瓜可能犯两次同样的错误。智者则能有错即改，得以补过。
Two Faults of one a Fool will make; He half repairs, that owns & does forsake．

聪明人吸取别人错误的教训，傻瓜只能从自己身上吸取教训。
Wise men learn by others harms; fools by their own.

研究所有人，更要剖析你自己（切勿看人不看己）。
Observe all men; thy self most.

从小接受有用的教育，长大了就可发财，但必须学好写作和会计。
Useful Attainments in your Minority will procure Riches in Maturity, of which Writing and Accounts are not the meanest.

什么人最明智？乐于听取别人意见的人。
什么人有威信？能够控制自己情绪的人。
什么人最富有？知足常乐的人。
这样的人，不存在。
Who is wise? He that learns from every One.
Who is powerful? He that governs his Passions.
Who is rich? He that is content.
Who is that? Nobody.

与缺点作斗争，与邻居融洽相处，年年都会越过越好。
Be at War with your Vices, at Peace with your Neighbours, and let every New-Year find you a better Man.

明天，要把所有的过错都纠正过来，可是那个明天永远不会来到。
To-morrow, every Fault is to be amended; but that To-morrow never comes.

《穷理查智慧书》是富兰克林所写的一个小册子，富兰克林说自己创造的内容不到一成，里面大部分是整理各个名族的智慧精华，富兰克林一生都在用这些智慧来完善自己。富兰克林为人类做出巨大贡献，有人这样概括富兰克林：“在天上降伏雷电，在地上争取民权。”1790年享年84岁的富兰克林溘然长逝，人们遵照他的遗愿，在墓碑上刻着“印刷工富兰克林”字样。