An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
In plain words
Stopping a problem before it starts is easier than fixing it after.
Where these words come from
- 88% sureThese words were traced back to where they first appeared. That source is listed below.
- Coined by Benjamin Franklin, 'On Protection of Towns from Fire,' Pennsylvania Gazette, Feb 4, 1735 (writing as 'A.A.') — a fire-safety essay for Philadelphia. The related Latin legal maxim in Bracton (c.1240s) is an origin-language note, not this line's source.
- Pennsylvania Gazette — 'On Protection of Towns from Fire'
- 1735 · Philadelphia · advice to Philadelphia on preventing house fires
