--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Would you live with ease, Do what you…" description: "\"Would you live with ease, Do what you ought, and not what you please.\" — Benjamin Franklin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/benjamin-franklin-65_ease_would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-oug_2067642.png" --- # Would you live with ease, Do what you ought, and not what… ![“Would you live with ease, Do what you ought, and not what you please.” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/benjamin-franklin-65_ease_would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-oug_2067642.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/benjamin-franklin-65_ease_would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-oug_2067642.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/benjamin-franklin-65_ease_would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-oug_2067642.png) > “Would you live with ease, Do what you ought, and not what you please.” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages living a life of ease by doing one's duty rather than pursuing personal pleasure. **In simple terms:** Do duty, not just desire. Key Takeaway Prioritize responsibility over indulgence. Themes virtue duty self‑control ease morality Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - career decisions - family obligations - public service - daily routines Key Concepts ethical philosophy personal discipline social order Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance duty with personal joy? - When is it acceptable to follow pleasure over duty? A Different Perspective May ignore personal happiness and mental health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ease/) [Ease Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ease-ought-3976855/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Live Ease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-ease-2674068/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) ## Related quotes > [For what can power give more than food and drink, To live at ease, and not be bound to think?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/for-what-can-power-give-more-than-food-and-drink-to-live-at-ease-and/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [“beautiful flowers that are not anxious about tomorrow but live with ease in the timeless Now”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/beautiful-flowers-that-are-not-anxious-about-tomorrow-but-live-with/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“May I be safe. May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I live with ease. May”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-pacheco/may-i-be-safe-may-i-be-happy-may-i-be-healthy-may-i-live-with-ease-may/) [Rebecca Pacheco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-pacheco/) > [If men with fleshly mortals must be fed, and chew with bleeding teeth the breathing bread; what else is this but to devour our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pythagoras/if-men-with-fleshly-mortals-must-be-fed-and-chew-with-bleeding-teeth/) [Pythagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pythagoras/) > [But still remember, if you mean to please, To press your point with modesty and ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/but-still-remember-if-you-mean-to-please-to-press-your-point-with/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Sleep after toyle, port after stormie seas, Ease after warre, death after life, does greatly please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/sleep-after-toyle-port-after-stormie-seas-ease-after-warre-death/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Gracefulness cannot subsist without ease; delicacy is not debility; nor must a woman be sick in order to please. Infirmity, and sickness may excite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/gracefulness-cannot-subsist-without-ease-delicacy-is-not-debility-nor/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Love seeketh only self to please, To bind another to its delight, Joys in another's loss of ease, And builds a Hell in Heaven's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-seeketh-only-self-to-please-to-bind-another-to-its-delight-joys/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In reality there is perhaps no one of our natural Passions so hard to subdue as Pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-reality-there-is-perhaps-no-one-of-our-natural-passions-so-hard-to/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [There are many roads to success, but only one sure road to failure; and that is to try to please everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/there-are-many-roads-to-success-but-only-one-sure-road-to-failure-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Most of us do more than subsist. From the vantage point of our ancestors, we live lives of almost unimaginable ease. Here again, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/most-of-us-do-more-than-subsist-from-the-vantage-point-of-our/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [To be at ease is better than to be at business. Nothing really belongs to us but time, which even he has who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/to-be-at-ease-is-better-than-to-be-at-business-nothing-really-belongs/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [I take the seashell from my jeans pocket and rub my fingers across its silken, indented surface, shallow as my own open hand. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/i-take-the-seashell-from-my-jeans-pocket-and-rub-my-fingers-across/) [Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/) > [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/give-me-26-lead-soldiers-and-i-will-conquer-the-world/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the affairs of this world, men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-the-affairs-of-this-world-men-are-saved-not-by-faith-but-by-the/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By heaven we understand a state of happiness infinite in degree, and endless in duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/by-heaven-we-understand-a-state-of-happiness-infinite-in-degree-and/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I have thought that wild flowers might be the alphabet of angels, — whereby they write on hills and fields mysterious truths, which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-have-thought-that-wild-flowers-might-be-the-alphabet-of-angels/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Ease quotes > [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [I take the seashell from my jeans pocket and rub my fingers across its silken, indented surface, shallow as my own open hand. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kenison/i-take-the-seashell-from-my-jeans-pocket-and-rub-my-fingers-across/) [Katrina Kenison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kenison/) > [To be at ease is better than to be at business. Nothing really belongs to us but time, which even he has who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/to-be-at-ease-is-better-than-to-be-at-business-nothing-really-belongs/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Men who have lived significant lives are men who never waited: not for money, security, ease, or women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/men-who-have-lived-significant-lives-are-men-who-never-waited-not-for/) [David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/) > [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [Anyone who thinks science is trying to make human life easier or more pleasant is utterly mistaken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/anyone-who-thinks-science-is-trying-to-make-human-life-easier-or-more/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-ease-our-fear-and-be-truly-happy-is-to-acknowledge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Efforts to ease regulations and reform the nation's tax system have helped put this self-sustaining recovery on track, The numbers prove our policies have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinzo-abe/efforts-to-ease-regulations-and-reform-the-nation-s-tax-system-have/) [Shinzo Abe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinzo-abe/) > [If I replace the word God with the word nature, I am far more at ease with the whole religious enterprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-kesselheim/if-i-replace-the-word-god-with-the-word-nature-i-am-far-more-at-ease/) [Alan S. Kesselheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-kesselheim/) > [This kind of horror has become all too familiar to us. As parents, Cindy and I offer our prayers to the memory of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/this-kind-of-horror-has-become-all-too-familiar-to-us-as-parents/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“In quixotically trying to conquer death doctors all too frequently do no good for their patients’ “ease” but at the same time they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kevorkian/in-quixotically-trying-to-conquer-death-doctors-all-too-frequently-do/) [Jack Kevorkian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kevorkian/) > [Although I'm perceived as very optimistic and upbeat, it comes out of being the opposite of that - feeling isolated or lonely, looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/although-i-m-perceived-as-very-optimistic-and-upbeat-it-comes-out-of/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [Good-breeding is not confined to externals, much less to any particular dress or attitude of the body; it is the art of pleasing, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/good-breeding-is-not-confined-to-externals-much-less-to-any/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [When his highness sends a ship to Egypt, does he trouble his head whether the mice on board are at their ease or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/when-his-highness-sends-a-ship-to-egypt-does-he-trouble-his-head/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Browse all 1,502 Ease quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ease/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Would you live with ease, Do what you ought, and not what you please.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-ought-and-not-what-you-please/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ease" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-ought-and-not-what-you-please/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/benjamin-franklin-65_ease_would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-oug_2067642.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/benjamin-franklin-65_ease_would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-oug_2067642.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b82/benjamin-franklin-65_ease_would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-oug_2067642.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Would you live with ease, Do what you ought, and not what you please.” — Benjamin Franklin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Would you live with ease, Do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-ought-and-not-what-you-please/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/would-you-live-with-ease-do-what-you-ought-and-not-what-you-please/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```