Verses Across™
      • 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081

About, terms & privacy · ·

Taoism & Chinese Folk Religion · Taoist Classics

Tao Te Ching 12

18

Taoism & Chinese Folk Religion · Taoist Classics

Tao Te Ching 12

LeggeEnglish
ChineseChinese
Colour's five hues from th' eyes their sight will take; Music's five notes the ears as deaf can make; The flavours five deprive the mouth of taste; The chariot course, and the wild hunting waste Make mad the mind; and objects rare and strange, Sought for, men's conduct will to evil change.
五色令人目盲,五音令人耳聾,五味令人口爽,馳騁畋獵令人心發狂,難得之貨令人行妨。是以聖人為腹不為目,故去彼取此。
Therefore the sage seeks to satisfy (the craving of) the belly, and not the (insatiable longing of the) eyes. He puts from him the latter, and prefers to seek the former.
—

Spotted a mistake or have an idea?

Tao Te Ching 11Tao Te Ching 13
Sources & credits: Legge · Chinese

Legge — Tao Te Ching (James Legge) (1891). Public Domain. Translated by James Legge (1891), public domain; Project Gutenberg #216. Source

Chinese — 道德經 (Classical Chinese) (c. 4th century BCE). Public Domain. Chinese text, Project Gutenberg #24039, public domain. Source