The Sage has nothing to do with extremes, whether good (excellence) or bad (excess).
There are those who want to take the world and run it:
I see they will not succeed.
The world is a spiritual vessel and cannot be run.
One who runs it destroys it; one who seizes it loses it.
Therefore for things:
Some go ahead; some follow behind;
Some blow hot; some blow cold;
Some are strong; some are conquered;
Some file down; some are filed down.
For this reason,
The Sage rejects extremes,
rejects excess,
rejects excellence.