Mediocre people provoke trouble and then end up bringing trouble upon themselves
To think a small issue much bigger than it actually is and end up creating trouble for oneself
Negative
同志们的意见都是诚恳的，你却多方猜疑，这不是庸人自扰吗? | Tóngzhìmen de yìjiàn dōu shì chéngkěn de, nǐ què duōfāng cāiyí, zhè bùshì yōngrénzìrǎo ma?
Our comrades' suggestions are all sincere, but you're highly suspicious. Aren't you just making this difficult for yourself?
[Source]
不知为什么他觉得每个人都想害他，但其实他不过是在庸人自扰 | Bù zhī wèishéme tā juédé měi gèrén dōu xiǎng hài tā, dàn qíshí tā bùguò shì zài yōngrénzìrǎo
I don't why he thinks that everyone is out to get him, but he's just creating problems for himself
[Source]
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《新唐书》(Xīn Táng Shū), a Northern Sòng Dynasty (960 - 1127) collection of scrolls composed by 欧阳修 (Ōu Yáng Xiū) and 宋祁 (Sòng Qí). The work is generally translated as the "New Book of Tang," "New History of the Tang", or "New Tang History."
During the Táng Dynasty (唐, 618 - 907) there lived provincial governor named 陆象先 (Lù Xiàng Xiān). 陆象先 was earnest and capable, and he preached kindness and forgiveness in political affairs.
His magnanimous approach quickly met the consternation of other officials. Some bluntly told him that harsher punishments would be necessary to keep the common people fearing and abiding the law. Still, 陆象先 continued to show mercy, and he was repeatedly promoted.
Once, a low-ranking official broke the law, and 陆象先 let him off with only a few stern words. The "punished" official's supervisor insisted that his underling instead be beaten with a cane, but 陆象先 brushed him off, saying that his words had had their intended effect. He also added that if a beating were truly necessary, then it needed to start with the supervisor, since he was at least partially responsible for his underling's behavior. This sufficiently silenced the other official's protests.
Later, 陆象先 often said, "Life really isn't that complicated. It's just that there are short-sighted and untalented people, and they make things more complicated than they are."