I could be dead wrong, but I actually get the impression this wasn’t really meant in the modern colloquial sense of keeping your nose out of other people’s affairs, and more in the literal sense of keep on top of your business dealings. Which would make sense, since it was to be printed on money.
That sort of admonition would quickly be used as a mild insult though, no matter how literal. Same with something like “set your house in order” which is a biblical phrase with a very similar meaning to what Franklin was going for, as it’s related to there not being much time and Franklin relates his phrase to time flying. It’s too direct for English.
I think both of them have a more specific meaning of something like a combination of “you’re the master of your own fate” and “seize the day.”
I think I remember reading about similar phrases telling the reader to be conscious of their mortal life on a bunch of old world clocks? Maybe he was influenced by those.
I could be dead wrong, but I actually get the impression this wasn’t really meant in the modern colloquial sense of keeping your nose out of other people’s affairs, and more in the literal sense of keep on top of your business dealings. Which would make sense, since it was to be printed on money.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugio_cent
That sort of admonition would quickly be used as a mild insult though, no matter how literal. Same with something like “set your house in order” which is a biblical phrase with a very similar meaning to what Franklin was going for, as it’s related to there not being much time and Franklin relates his phrase to time flying. It’s too direct for English.
I think both of them have a more specific meaning of something like a combination of “you’re the master of your own fate” and “seize the day.”
I think I remember reading about similar phrases telling the reader to be conscious of their mortal life on a bunch of old world clocks? Maybe he was influenced by those.
Memento Mori.
That’s a good point and I have no doubt you are correct. Interesting wikipedia entry, thanks!