“The road to hell is paved with good intentions” is a popular expression in a number of languages, in particular Russian and English . An alternative form is the expression "the underworld is full of good intentions, and the sky is full of good deeds ."
As an analogy, the expression “ Bear service ” is used. Not everything that you think is good will be good for another person.
Content
Origin
The authorship of the expression is often attributed to the English writer Samuel Johnson . His biographer James Boswell, in his memoirs, says that in 1755, Johnson said, " Hell is paved with good intentions." However, Walter Scott in the novel " Lammermoor Bride " (1819) attributes his origin to one of the English theologians.
The most likely initial author of the saying is considered to be the 17th century English theologian George Herbert, in whose book Jacula prudentium there is the phrase “Hell is full of good meaning and wishings” - “Hell is full of good intentions and desires.” With this saying, Herbert illustrated one of the main ideas of Protestant ethics, according to which the reality of faith will certainly lead to the performance of good deeds. This dictum echoes the dictum from the book of Jesus, the son of Sirach : “The way of sinners is paved with stones, but at the end of it is the abyss of hell” ( Sirach. 21:11 ).
Sense
From a theological point of view, the meaning of the saying is that there are much more good intentions than good deeds, therefore people who have good intentions but do not fulfill them cannot be considered righteous and thus still cannot count on going to heaven [1] .
This phrase is used to indicate cases when attempts to accomplish the most humane and good tasks lead (by shortsightedness, oversight, inability, etc.) to completely opposite and even destructive consequences.
In modern Russian, V. Chernomyrdin ’s expression “ We wanted the best, but it turned out as always ” is often used as an analogue.
Other options
- The road to hell is strewn with good intentions
- Good intentions paved the road to hell
- With good intentions, hell is paved
- Fifteen years of hell that paved with good intentions
- Well-intentioned path straight to hell
In art
- In the 2014 feature film " Interstellar " directed by Christopher Nolan, the hero Michael Kane pronounces this phrase in a dialogue with the main character in the 36th minute of the film before flying into space.
- In the feature film “ Paris. City of the Dead ”this inscription adorns the entrance to Hell and is repeatedly pronounced by the main characters.
See also
- Unintended consequences
Notes
- ↑ Kirsanova A. Explanatory Dictionary of winged words and expressions. - M .: Martin, 2004 .-- S. 217. - 448 p. - 1,500 copies - ISBN 5-8475-0154-4 .