《淮南子·汜论训》
但一般性人只看到他们地位低微，又干过不光彩的事，认为他们都是无能之辈而没看到他们身上的美好品质。而等到他们做了天子的三公，担任了诸侯的贤相时，人们才知道他们与众不同。
众人见其位之卑贱，事之洿辱，而不知其大略，以为不肖。及其为天子三公，而立为诸侯贤相，乃始信于异众也。
However, ordinary people only saw their lowly status and their past shameful deeds, thinking that they were all incompetent and did not see the good qualities in them. And when they became the emperor's three dukes or the wise minister of the vassals, people realized that they were different from ordinary people.