To go too far is as bad as not to go far enough.

This saying is commonly attributed to Confucius (Kongzi, 551–479 BCE) and reflects a recurring theme in early Confucian ethics: the importance of balance, appropriateness, and avoiding extremes in conduct and judgment. In the Analects, Confucius frequently evaluates behavior in terms of what is fitting to the situation (li, ritual propriety) and warns against excess as well as deficiency. The line is often linked to a passage where Confucius comments that “going beyond” is no better than “falling short,” a maxim later echoed and developed in broader East Asian moral philosophy as a counsel toward measured action and moderation.

The quote argues that excess can be as harmful as inadequacy: overdoing a virtue, policy, or effort may produce consequences comparable to neglect. In Confucian terms, moral success is not simply “more” zeal, strictness, or generosity, but the right degree expressed at the right time, in harmony with social roles and circumstances. The aphorism also cautions against a simplistic progress narrative—pushing harder is not automatically better—and instead elevates discernment and self-regulation. Its enduring appeal lies in its applicability to ethics, governance, education, and personal cultivation, where both rash intensity and timid restraint can miss the proper mean.