Franklin advises people to save while they have the income and opportunity to do so, because favourable circumstances cannot be assumed to continue indefinitely. The reference to “age and want” points particularly to later life or periods of hardship, when earning may become more difficult and accumulated resources more important.

The image of the morning sun reinforces this warning. Just as the brightness of morning does not last throughout the entire day, youth, health, employment and prosperity may all change with time. Franklin therefore presents saving as a practical response to uncertainty rather than simply an exercise in thrift. The broader lesson is to use periods of strength and abundance to prepare for periods when resources or opportunities may be more limited. Present prosperity should not be mistaken for a permanent condition.