Chapter 12 of the Laozi

Chinese Text

五wǔ色sè 令lìng人rén目mù盲máng;  
五wǔ音yīn 令lìng人rén耳ěr聋lóng;  
五wǔ味wèi 令lìng人rén口kǒu爽shuǎng; 
驰chí骋chěng田tián猎liè, 令lìng人rén心xīn发fā狂kuáng; 
难nán得dé之zhī货huò, 令lìng人rén行xíng妨fáng.
是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén为wéi腹fù不bù为wéi目mù.
故gù去qù彼bǐ取qǔ此cǐ.

Translation

The five colors blind the eyes of man.
The five tones deafen the ears of man.
The five flavors dull the taste of man.
Galloping and hunting madden the heart of man.
Rare goods impede the conduct of man.
Therefore, the sage cares for the inner self and not the eyes.
Hence, he rejects the one and chooses the other.

Notes

C: This chapter aims to show that man must free himself from the allure of external objects to achieve inner perfection. According to the 平子類編 Píng Zǐ Lèi Biān, book XCVII, line 1, the five colors are: blue, red, yellow, white, and black.

Lit. "make the eyes of men blind."

C: The five musical notes 宮 gōng, 商 shāng, 角 jué, 徵 zhǐ, and 羽 yǔ.

Lit. "make the ears of men deaf."

C: Sweet, spicy, sour, salty, and bitter.

Lit. "make the mouth of men err."

Lit. "make the heart of man go mad."

I am 河上公 Héshàng Gōng, who explains the word 妨 fáng as "to harm, to injure."

C: Only the sage knows the proper measure, knows how to be content. The words 為腹 wéi fù mean "to fill the inner self (lit. 'the belly')", i.e., to preserve the five natures, expel the six affections, moderate the vital force, and nourish (E) the spirits.

B: The expression 不為目 bù wéi mù, "he does not care for the eyes," means he does not seek to delight his eyes with external objects, for fear of disturbing his heart. He renounces things that have only a rich and brilliant surface and seeks only the inner riches of the heart, which are alone true and solid.