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Abraham Lincoln Quotes about Work

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Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Independent, Labor Day
Annual Message to Congress, 3 Dec. 1861

No country can sustain, in idleness, more than a small percentage of its numbers. The great majority must labor at something productive.

Abraham Lincoln
Country, Work, Numbers
Abraham Lincoln, Terence Ball (2013). “Lincoln: Political Writings and Speeches”, p.238, Cambridge University Press

I don't believe in a law to prevent a man from getting rich; it would do more harm than good. So while we do not propose any war upon capital, we do wish to allow the humblest man an equal chance to get rich with everybody else.

Abraham Lincoln
War, Work, Believe
Abraham Lincoln, Mario Matthew Cuomo, G. S. Boritt (2004). “Lincoln on Democracy”, p.176, Fordham Univ Press

Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.

Abraham Lincoln
Motivational, Work, Safety
Abraham Lincoln, Mario Matthew Cuomo, G. S. Boritt (2004). “Lincoln on Democracy”, p.315, Fordham Univ Press

Wanting to work is so rare a merit, that it should be encouraged.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Political, Politics
Gene Griessman, Abraham Lincoln (1998). “The Words Lincoln Lived By: 52 Timeless Principles to Light Your Path”, p.30, Simon and Schuster

Half finished work generally proves to be labor lost.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Half, Lost
Abraham Lincoln (2008). “The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln”, p.5, Wildside Press LLC

And, inasmuch [as] most good things are produced by labour, it follows that all such things of right belong to those whose labour has produced them. But it has so happened in all ages of the world, that some have laboured, and others have, without labour, enjoyed a large proportion of the fruits. This is wrong, and should not continue. To [secure] to each labourer the whole product of his labour, or as nearly as possible, is a most worthy object of any good government.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Government, Age
Abraham Lincoln (2008). “The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln”, p.412, Wildside Press LLC

Beavers build houses; but they build them in nowise differently, or better now, than they did, five thousand years ago. Ants, and honey-bees, provide food for winter; but just in the same way they did, when Solomon referred the sluggard to them as patterns of prudence. Man is not the only animal who labors; but he is the only one who improves his workmanship.

Abraham Lincoln
Motivational, Work, Winter
Abraham Lincoln (2008). “The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln”, p.437, Wildside Press LLC

Labor is the great source from which nearly all, if not all, human comforts and necessities are drawn.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Comfort, Source
Abraham Lincoln (2013). “Leadership Lessons of Abraham Lincoln: Apply the Principles of the Sixteenth President to Your Own Work and Life”, p.16, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

Labor is the true standard of value.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Standards, Labor
"Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 4" by Abraham Lincoln, New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press, 1953.

With Malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds.

Abraham Lincoln
God, Business, Work
Second Inaugural Address, 4 Mar. 1865

In the early days of the world, the Almighty said to the first of our race "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread"; and since then, if we except the light and the air of heaven, no good thing has been, or can be enjoyed by us, without having first cost labour.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Sweat, Light
Abraham Lincoln (1989). “Abraham Lincoln: Speeches & Writings Part 1: 1832-1858: Library of America #45”, p.153, Library of America

There has never been but one question in all civilization-how to keep a few men from saying to many men: You work and earn bread and we will eat it.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Men, Civilization

The world is agreed that labor is the source from which human wants are mainly supplied. There is no dispute upon this point.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, World, Want
Abraham Lincoln, Terence Ball (2013). “Lincoln: Political Writings and Speeches”, p.236, Cambridge University Press

My father taught me to work, but not to love it. I never did like to work, and I don't deny it. I'd rather read, tell stories, crack jokes, talk, laugh -- anything but work.

Abraham Lincoln
Father, Work, Laughing

Work, work, work, is the main thing.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Hard Work, Labor
Abraham Lincoln, Mario Matthew Cuomo, G. S. Boritt (2004). “Lincoln on Democracy”, p.178, Fordham Univ Press

It is better then, to save the work while it is begun. You have done the labor; maintain it - keep it. If men choose to serve you, go with them; but as you have made up your organization upon principle, stand by it; for as surely as God reigns over you, and has inspired your mind, and given you a sense of propriety, and continues to give you hope, so surely will you still cling to these ideas, and you will at last come back after your wanderings, merely to do your work over again.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Men, Organization
Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Carl Schurz, Joseph Choate, Francis F. Browne (2017). “LINCOLN – Complete 7 Volume Edition: Biographies, Speeches and Debates, Civil War Telegrams, Letters, Presidential Orders & Proclamations: Including the Introduction by Theodore Roosevelt & 3 Biographies: The Every-day Life of the President, Lincoln by Carl Shurz and Abraham Lincoln by Joseph H. Choate”, p.899, Madison & Adams Press

The working men are the basis of all governments, for the plain reason that they are the most numerous.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Men, Reason
Abraham Lincoln (1989). “Abraham Lincoln: Speeches & Writings Part 2: 1859-1865: Library of America #46”, p.203, Library of America

If you intend to go to work there is no better place than right where you are; if you do not intend to go to work, you can not get along anywhere.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Where You Are, Can Not
Abraham Lincoln (2012). “The Complete Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln (Biographically Annotated Edition)”, p.374, Jazzybee Verlag

Every man is proud of what he does well; and no man is proud of what he does not do well. With the former, his heart is in his work; and he will do twice as much of it with less fatigue. The latter performs a little imperfectly, looks at it in disgust, turns from it, and imagines himself exceedingly tired. The little he has done, comes to nothing, for want of finishing.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Passion, Tired
Abraham Lincoln (2009). “The Portable Abraham Lincoln”, p.162, Penguin

I am always for the man who wishes to work.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Men, Wish
Abraham Lincoln (2013). “Leadership Lessons of Abraham Lincoln: Apply the Principles of the Sixteenth President to Your Own Work and Life”, p.15, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

Upon this subject, the habits of our whole species fall into three great classes--useful labour, useless labour and idleness. Of these the first only is meritorious; and to it all the products of labour rightfully belong; but the two latter, while they exist, are heavy pensioners upon the first, robbing it of a large portion of it's just rights. The only remedy for this is to, as far as possible, drive useless labour and idleness out of existence.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Fall, Class
Abraham Lincoln (2008). “The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln”, p.412, Wildside Press LLC

The prudent, penniless beginner in the world, labors for wages awhile, saves a surplus with which to buy tools or land, for himself; then labors on his own account another while, and at length hires another new beginner to help him. This, say its advocates, is free labor-the just and generous, and prosperous system, which opens the way for all-gives hope to all, and energy, and progress, and improvement of condition to all.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Land, Giving
Abraham Lincoln, Mario Matthew Cuomo, G. S. Boritt (2004). “Lincoln on Democracy”, p.161, Fordham Univ Press

If at any time all labour should cease, and all existing provisions be equally divided among the people, at the end of a single year there could scarcely be one human being left alive--all would have perished by want of subsistence.

Abraham Lincoln
Work, Years, People
Abraham Lincoln (1989). “Abraham Lincoln: Speeches & Writings Part 1: 1832-1858: Library of America #45”, p.157, Library of America