Biggest profits mean gravest risks.
—Chinese Proverb
When profit is unshared, it’s less likely to grow greater.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
It is always sound business to take any obtainable net gain, at any cost and at any risk to the rest of the community.
—Thorstein Veblen (1857–1929) American Economist, Social Critic
Profit in business comes from repeat customers, customers that boast about your project or service, and that bring friends with them.
—W. Edwards Deming (1900–93) American Engineer, Statistician
What doth it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Profit is the brother of loss.
—Turkish Proverb
A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.
—John C. Maxwell (b.1947) American Christian Professional Speaker, Author, Clergyman
The engine which drives enterprise is not thrift, but profit.
—John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) English Economist
Small profits are good if they come often.
—French Proverb
I respect not his labors, his farm where everything has its price, who would carry the landscape, who would carry his God, to market, if he could get anything for him; who goes to market for his god as it is; on whose farm nothing grows free, whose fields bear no crops, whose meadows no flowers, whose trees no fruits, but dollars.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
The true way to gain much, is never to desire to gain too much. He is not rich that possesses much, but he that covets no more; and he is not poor that enjoys little, but he that wants too much.
—Francis Beaumont (1584–1616) English Dramatist
If you mean to profit, learn to please.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
No gain is so certain as that which proceeds from the economical use of what you already have.
—Latin Proverb
Whenever there is profit to be made then think of honesty.
—Chinese Proverb
There are only two things from which to choose: profit or loss.
—Indian Proverb
We give advice, but we cannot give the wisdom to profit by it.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
The investor of today does not profit from yesterday’s growth.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor
Several weeks of summer vacation in the Thirties I spent working at $15 a week in the FORBES office…. I worked in the mail cage, where envelopes were slit and subscription payments extracted. Dad used to come pounding down the office aisle and pause long enough to ask, How much today? Inevitably the answer was inadequate-except once. That day the controller said excitedly, Mr. Forbes, the ledger shows a slight profit this month! … My father turned to him and said, Young man, I don’t give a damn what your books show. Do we have any money in the bank?
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
The best plan is to profit by the folly of others.
—Pliny the Elder (23–79CE) Roman Statesman, Scholar
There is nothing the body suffers which the soul may not profit by.
—George Meredith (1828–1909) British Novelist, Poet, Critic
If there is any profit in partnership, two will share a woman.
—African Proverb
What is a man if he is not a thief who openly charges as much as he can for the goods he sells?
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Poets wish to profit or to please.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
There are two motives for reading a book: one, that you can enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Cut your losses and let your profits run.
—U.S. Proverb
As one digs deeper into the national character of the Americans, one sees that they have sought the value of everything in this world only in the answer to this single question: how much money will it bring in?
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–59) French Historian, Political Scientist
Profit is sweet, even if it comes from deception.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Where profit is, loss is hiding nearby.
—Japanese Proverb
Nobody ever lost money taking a profit.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
Take all the fools out of this world and there wouldn’t be any fun living in it, or profit.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Moderate profits fill the purse.
—Italian Proverb
The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
Small profits and often, are better than large profits and seldom.
—German Proverb
Take every gain without showing remorse about missed profits, because an eel may escape sooner than you think.
—Lope de Vega (1562–1635) Spanish Playwright, Poet
When shallow critics denounce the profit motive inherent in our system of private enterprise, they ignore the fact that it is an economic support of every human right we possess, and that without it, all rights would soon disappear.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
If you count all your assets, you always show a profit.
—Robert Quillen (1887–1948) American Journalist, Humorist
Profits on the exchange are the treasures of goblins. At one time they may be carbuncle stones, then coals, then diamonds, then flint stones, then morning dew, then tears.
—Lope de Vega (1562–1635) Spanish Playwright, Poet
It is a socialist idea that making profits is a vice. I consider the real vice is making losses.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Profit and morality are a hard combination to beat.
—Hubert Humphrey (1911–78) American Head of State, Politician
To profit from good advice requires more wisdom than to give it.
—John Churton Collins (1848–1908) English Literary Critic
Higher prices are themselves inflation and not merely the result of it. They are accelerated and not stopped by taxation…. It isn’t high prices that persuade the high cost and marginal producer to make the investment necessary to bring him into production. It is the promise of profit. High prices without profit merely requires more investment to support turnover and inventory.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
Civilization and profits go hand in hand.
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) American Head of State, Lawyer
When there are two in a lawsuit only a third will profit from it.
—Chinese Proverb
A man profits more by the sight of an idiot than by the orations of the learned.
—Arabic Proverb
The more illegal a profit, the more tenaciously a man clings to it.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
And gain is gain, however small.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
In the state of nature profit is the measure of right.
—Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) English Political Philosopher
No profit grows where is no pleasure taken; in brief, sir, study what you most affect.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright