Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Saying ·288 of 348
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
They never said that.
What people say
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
What was actually said
"Hell is full of good intentions or desires." Bernard of Clairvaux — Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (attributed, 12th c.)
Why it stuck
The earliest form talks about what hell is full of. The paving metaphor appears in English around 1670 — same idea, more visual, and much more memorable.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.