Franklin warns against gaining wealth or power by giving up values that are more fundamental. The first contrast places virtue above material prosperity: money obtained through dishonesty or moral compromise may come at the cost of integrity. The second places liberty above power, suggesting that authority or influence is a poor bargain if acquiring it requires surrendering independence.

The saying does not reject wealth or power in themselves. Its concern is with the terms on which they are obtained. Franklin presents virtue and liberty as things that should not be treated merely as commodities to exchange for external advantage. The broader lesson is that success should be judged not only by what is gained, but also by what must be sacrificed to obtain it. Material or political advancement may be diminished if it depends on abandoning important principles or freedoms.