Story No. 7

One of the wise men kept warning his son against eating too much, saying that being overfull makes a person sick. The son said: Father, hunger kills people. Haven't you heard the clever ones say it's better to die stuffed than to endure hunger? The father said: Keep to moderation. Eat and drink, but do not go to excess. Don't eat so much that it comes back up your throat, and don't eat so little that your strength gives out and you faint. Though the soul finds its pleasure in food, food brings suffering when it goes beyond measure. If you force down rose-jam sweets, they'll harm you, but if you eat dry bread when truly hungry, it tastes like rose-jam. They asked a sick man: What does your heart want? He said: I want a heart that wants nothing. Once the stomach turns and the belly aches, no remedy, however proper, does any good.