《资治通鉴·周纪·周纪一》
卫侯说： 我知道他是个将才，然而苟变做官吏的时候，有次征税吃了老百姓两个鸡蛋，所以我不用他。 孔说： 圣人选人任官，就好比木匠使用木料，取其所长，弃其所短；因此一根合抱的良木，只有几尺朽烂处，高明的工匠是不会扔掉它的。
然变也尝为吏，赋于民而食人二鸡子，故弗用也。 子思曰： 夫圣人之官人，犹匠之用木也，取其所长，弃其所短。故杞梓连抱而有数尺之朽，良工不弃。
The Duke of Wei said, "I know he is a good general, but when Gou Bian was an official, he once ate two eggs of a commoner while collecting taxes, so I do not use him." Kong said, "When a sage selects officials, it is like a carpenter using wood: he takes its strengths and discards its weaknesses. Hence, a good piece of wood as thick as a man's embrace, even with a few spans of rotten parts, will not be discarded by a good carpenter."