this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2024
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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.