Chá jiàn yuān yú zhě bùxiáng; zhì liào yǐnnì zhě yǒu yāng.

察見淵魚者不祥; 智料隱匿者有殃。

Lit [To be able to] see fish swimming in a deep pond is inauspicious, [and to be] clever [enough to] spot hidden people or things [is to] invite trouble.

Fig One who is too perceptive or too wise will invite trouble. “There's such a thing as being too clever.”

Note [Rhyme; cf. Lièzǐ: Shuō Fù and Hán Fēizǐ: Shuō Lín Shàng.]

Topics CAUTION CLEVERNESS Hán Fēizǐ Lièzǐ PERCEPTIVENESS rhyme Shuō Fù Shuō Lín Shàng TROUBLE