“He that goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing.”

Context & Editorial Note

This proverb is attributed to Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard Improved and is documented in the 1758 Franklin Papers record preserved by Founders Online. Its compact wording reflects the almanac tradition of presenting practical observations about everyday conduct, including the burdens associated with borrowing. The record supports treating the line as a period saying within Franklin’s literary and publishing context, without extending it into a broader claim about all forms or circumstances of credit.