五色令人目盲,五音令人耳聋,五味令人口爽;驰骋畋猎令人心发狂,难得之货令人行妨。 是以圣人为腹不为目,故去彼取此。
Controllingthe Senses
Theoverwhelming colors blind one’s eye.
Thevarious tones will deafen one’s ear.
Thediversified flavors will jade one’s taste;
Racingand hunting will drive you to wildness,
raregoods will unleach one sesires.
Therrefor, the Enlightened Individuals
value the inner self and not the eye.
He prefers what is within to theslavery of human greediness.
[译文]
五彩缤纷使人眼花缭乱,繁杂的音调使人耳聋,过度的美味佳肴败坏人们的胃口和身体;纵情驰骋在猎场上,使人心性放荡发狂。稀有珍贵的物品让放纵贪欲,行为不轨。
因此,真正悟道的人求取内在的、有节制的生存之需,而摈除外在的、过多的纵欲享乐。