机关算尽太聪明，反算了卿卿性命
jī​guān​suàn​jìn​tài​cōng​ming​fǎn​suàn​le​qīng​qīng​xìng​mìng

smart people often outsmart themselves

Senses

机关算尽太聪明，反算了卿卿性命/ 機關算盡太聰明，反算了卿卿性命 jī​guān​suàn​jìn​tài​cōng​ming​fǎn​suàn​le​qīng​qīng​xìng​mìng smart people often outsmart themselves

If one is too calculating, it will lead to one's own undoing. This is a famous line from the novel 红楼梦 hóng​lóu​mèng.

References

see 机关算尽太聪明，反算了卿卿性命/機關算盡太聰明，反算了卿卿性命 → 红楼梦/紅樓夢