Going too far is as bad as falling short.

What it means

Asked which of two students was better, the one who overdid things or the one who underdid them, Confucius refused to favor excess. Overtraining, overtalking and overspending miss the mark just like doing too little. Aim for the right amount, not the most.

The source

"Going too far is as bad as falling short." Confucius said it in Analects 11.15. Translated from the original Chinese by Spartan Surfers.

"過猶不及。"

Original Chinese, Analects 11.15. Text read at zh.wikisource.org.

Who said it

Confucius (551-479 BC). Teacher from the state of Lu whose conversations, collected by his students as the Analects, shaped two thousand years of Chinese ethics. He taught that character is built through learning, ritual and honest self-examination.

Questions

What does "Going too far is as bad as falling short." mean?

Asked which of two students was better, the one who overdid things or the one who underdid them, Confucius refused to favor excess. Overtraining, overtalking and overspending miss the mark just like doing too little. Aim for the right amount, not the most.

Who said "Going too far is as bad as falling short."?

Confucius (551-479 BC). Source: Analects 11.15.

What is the original Chinese?

過猶不及。. Translated from the original Chinese by Spartan Surfers.

Is "Going too far is as bad as falling short." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Going too far is as bad as falling short." (Confucius, Analects 11.15, translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/going-too-far-is-as-bad-as-falling