第12章 · 原文
现代白话译文
缤纷的色彩使人眼花缭乱；嘈杂的音乐使人耳朵失聪；丰美的食物使人口舌麻木；纵情骑马打猎使人心情放荡发狂；稀有的物品使人行为不轨。因此，圣人只求饱腹而不求声色娱目，所以摒弃物欲的诱惑，保持内心的安宁。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
The five colors make man's eyes blind; The five notes make his ears deaf; The five tastes injure his palate; Riding and hunting Make his mind go wild with excitement; Goods hard to come by Serve to hinder his progress. Hence the sage is For the belly Not for the eye. Therefore he discards the one and takes the other.
Robert Henricks
1. The five colors cause one's eyes to go blind. 2. Racing horses and hunting cause one's mind to go mad. 3. Goods that are hard to obtain pose an obstacle to one's travels. 4. The five flavors confuse one's palate. 5. The five tones cause one's ears to go deaf. 6. Therefore, in the government of the Sage: 7. He's for the belly and not for the eyes. 8. Thus he rejects that and take this.
Addiss & Lombardo
Five colors blind the eye. Five notes deafen the ear. Five flavors dull the palate. Racing and hunting madden the mind. Rare goods tempt people to action. Therefore the sage is for the belly, not the eye. Rejects this, grasps that.
Arthur Waley
The fives colours confuse the eye, The fives sounds dull the ear, The five tastes spoil the palate. Excess of hunting and chasing Makes minds go mad. Products that are hard to get Impede their owner's movements. Therefore the Sage Considers the belly not the eye. Truly, "he rejects that but takes this".
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
Colors blind the eye. Sounds deafen the ear. Flavors numb the taste. Thoughts weaken the mind. Desires wither the heart. The Master observes the world but trusts his inner vision. He allows things to come and go. His heart is open as the sky.