Chapter 12 - Too Much

Too much vibrancy numbs our sight,
Too much sound impairs our hearing,
Too much flavour dulls our taste,
Too much excitement makes a madman,
Too much enticement breaks our humanity,
Thus the true Daoist asks for a full stomach and nothing else,
Fulfillment in the simplicity of living.

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。