Painterly empty hammock between two potted palms on a sunlit terrace overlooking blue water.

Original artwork, not a still

Poor Richard's Almanack

Benjamin Franklin

Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The advice ties leisure to how well one spends time beforehand. Free time is presented as something gained by using available hours wisely. Its direct instruction makes a practical connection between present effort and future freedom, suggesting that purposeful activity can create room for rest.

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