The following are the various Ferengi Rules of Acquisition we have heard over the run of Star Trek. As of 2151 there were 173 rules; by 2370 there were 285 rules (DS9, "Rules of Acquisition"). Gint, the first Grand Nagus and his cronies claimed credit for writing the rules of acquisition (DS9, "Body Parts"). How this squares with more rules being added over time is anybodies guess.
The list is based on the Encyclopedia, and so may omit some mentioned in later DS9 episodes. As usual, any corrections or updates should include the number and text of the rule, the episode it's from, and if possible an idea of where in the episode it is mentioned.
| Rule |
Description |
Episode |
| ? |
A man is only worth the sum of his possessions. [1] |
Acquisition |
| ? |
Exploitation begins at home [2] |
False Profits |
| 1 [3] |
Once you have their money, you never give it back. [3] |
The Nagus |
| 3 [4] |
Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to. [4] |
The Maquis, Part 2 |
| 6 [3] |
Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity. Also stated as 'Never allow family to stand in the way of profit' in ENT "Acquisition" [3] |
The Nagus |
| 7 [5] |
Keep your ears open. [5] |
In the Hands of the Prophets |
| 8 [6] |
Small print leads to large risk. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 9 [7] |
Opportunity plus instinct equals profit. [7] |
The Storyteller |
| 10 [8] |
Greed is eternal. [8] |
Prophet Motive |
| 13 [6] |
Anything worth doing is worth doing for money. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 16 [9] |
A deal is a deal. [9] |
Melora |
| 17 [10] |
A contract is a contract is a contract, but only between Ferengi. [10] |
Body Parts |
| 18 [11] |
A Ferengi without profit is no Ferengi at all. [11] |
Heart of Stone |
| 19 [6] |
Satisfaction is not guaranteed. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 21 [12] |
Never place friendship above profit. [12] |
Rules of Acquisition |
| 22 [12] |
A wise man can hear profit in the wind. [12] |
Rules of Acquisition |
| 23 [1] |
Nothing is more important than your health... except for your money. [1] |
Acquisition |
| 27 [6] |
There is nothing more dangerous than an honest businessman. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 31 [13] |
Never make fun of a Ferengi's mother. [13] |
The Siege |
| 33 [12] |
It never hurts to suck up to the boss. [12] |
Rules of Acquisition |
| 34 [14] |
War is good for business. [14] |
Destiny |
| 35 [14] |
Peace is good for business. [14] |
Destiny |
| 40 [6] |
She can touch your lobes, but never your latinum. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 41 [6] |
Profit is its own reward. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 44 [6] |
Never confuse wisdom with luck. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 45 [1] |
Expand or die. [1] |
Acquisition |
| 47 [15] |
Don't trust a man wearing a better suit than your own. [15] |
Rivals |
| 48 [16] |
The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife. [16] |
Star Trek : Titan, Book 4 - Sword of Damocles |
| 52 [6] |
Never ask when you can take. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 57 [17] |
Good customers are as rare as latinum. Treasure them. [17] |
Armageddon Game |
| 58 [6] |
There is no substitute for success. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 59 [12] |
Free advice is seldom cheap. [12] |
Rules of Acquisition |
| 60 [6] |
Keep your lies consistent. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 62 [12] |
The riskier the road, the greater the profit. [12] |
Rules of Acquisition |
| 63 [18] |
Work is the best therapy - at least for your employees. [18] |
Star Trek : Titan, Book 5 - Over a Torrent Sea |
| 65 [6] |
Win or lose, there's always Hupyrian beetle snuff. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 74 [19] |
Knowledge equals profit. [19] |
Inside Man |
| 75 [20] |
Home is where the heart is, but the stars are made of latinum. [20] |
Civil Defense |
| 76 [21] |
Every once in a while, declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies!. [21] |
The Homecoming |
| 79 [6] |
Beware of the Vulcan greed for knowledge. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 82 [6] |
The flimsier the product, the higher the price. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 85 [6] |
Never let the competition know what you're thinking. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 89 [6] |
Ask not what your profits can do for you, but what you can do for your profits. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 94 [22] |
Females and finance don't mix. [22] |
Ferengi Love Songs |
| 95 [2] |
Expand or die. [2] |
False Profits |
| 97 [6] |
Enough... is never enough. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 98 [23] |
Every man has his price. [23] |
In the Pale Moonlight |
| 99 [6] |
Trust is the biggest liability of all. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 102 [24] |
Nature decays, but latinum lasts forever. [24] |
The Jem'Hadar |
| 103 [12] |
Sleep can interfere with· (remainder of rule unknown). [12] |
Rules of Acquisition |
| 104 [6] |
Faith moves mountains... of inventory. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 106 [6] |
There is no honour in poverty. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 109 [15] |
Dignity and an empty sack is worth a sack. [15] |
Rivals |
| 111 [25] |
Treat people in your debt like family. Exploit them. [25] |
Past Tense, Part 1 |
| 112 [26] |
Never have sex with the bosses sister. [26] |
Playing God |
| 113 [6] |
Always have sex with the boss. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 121 [6] |
Everything is for sale, even friendship. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 123 [6] |
Even a blind man can recognize the glow of latinum. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 125 [27] |
You can't make a deal if you're dead. [27] |
The Siege of AR-558 |
| 139 [28] |
Wives serve, brothers inherit. [28] |
Necessary Evil |
| 141 [6] |
Only fools pay retail. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 144 [6] |
There's nothing wrong with charity... as long as it winds up in your pocket. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 162 [6] |
Even in the worst of times, someone turns a profit. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 168 [29] |
Whisper your way to success. [29] |
Treachery, Faith, and the Great River |
| 177 [6] |
Know your enemies... but do business with them always. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 181 [6] |
Not even dishonesty can tarnish the shine of profit. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 189 [6] |
Let others keep their reputation. You keep their latinum. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 190 [30] |
Hear all, trust nothing. [30] |
Call to Arms |
| 192 [6] |
Never cheat a Klingon... unless you can get away with it. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 194 [31] |
It's always good business to know about your customers before they walk in your door. [31] |
Whispers |
| 202 [6] |
The justification for profit is profit. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 203 [32] |
New customers are like razor-toothed Gree worms. They can be succulent, but sometimes they bite back. [32] |
Little Green Men |
| 208 [22] |
Sometimes, the only thing more dangerous than a question is an answer. [22] |
Ferengi Love Songs |
| 211 [33] |
Employees are the rungs on the ladder of success. Don't hesitate to step on them. [33] |
Bar Association |
| 214 [34] |
Never begin a business negotiation on an empty stomach. [34] |
The Maquis, Part 1 |
| 217 [25] |
You can't free a fish from water. [25] |
Past Tense, Part 1 |
| 218 [6] |
Always know what you're buying. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 223 [6] |
Beware the man who doesn't make time for oo-mox. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 229 [22] |
Latinum lasts longer than lust. [22] |
Ferengi Love Songs |
| 236 [6] |
You can't buy fate. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 239 [10] |
Never be afraid to mislabel a product. [10] |
Body Parts |
| 242 [6] |
More is good. All is better. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 255 [6] |
A wife is a luxury... a smart accountant a necessity. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 261 [6] |
A wealthy man can afford anything except a conscience. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 263 [33] |
Never allow doubt to tarnish your lust for latinum. [33] |
Bar Association |
| 266 [6] |
When in doubt, lie. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 284 [6] |
Deep down, everyone's a Ferengi. [6] |
Novel : Legends of the Ferengi |
| 285 [35] |
No good deed ever goes unpunished. [35] |
The Collaborator |
In the episode "Prophet Motive", the Grand Nagus produced a revised set of the Rules of Acquisition whilst under the influence of the Bajoran Prophets. The following are the known rules from this set, all copies of which were destroyed when the Nagus regained his original personality.
Additionally, the Voyager episode "False Profits" featured Neelix telling two Ferengi stranded in the Delta Quadrant that rule of acquisition number
299 was "When you exploit someone, it never hurts to thank them". We do not know if this is an accurate quotation; if it is, then we would need to believe that the Ferengi have added extra rules sometime prior to Voyagers accident and that Neelix has read up on these since.
In DS9's "House of Quark", Quark himself suggested an additional rule: Rule 286, "When Morn leaves, it's all over". Quark was bemoaning the state of his business at the time, and it is unlikely that this rule is a real one.
