《隋书·列传·卷四十》
因有人说他没有好的品行，炀帝也就罢了，刘炫就回到了河间老家。这个时候，群盗蜂起，粮食价格暴涨，经书中的大道理无法传播，教化传授无法进行。刘炫与妻子儿女相距百里，音信断绝，心中苦闷而又不得志。刘炫在郡城，粮食断绝。他的门人大多跟随盗贼，可怜刘炫穷苦匮乏，就到郡城下面向郡官索要刘炫，郡官方才放出了他。刘炫被盗贼裹胁，过城堡。
时在郡城，粮饷断绝，其门人多随盗贼，哀炫穷乏，诣郡城下索炫，郡官乃出炫与之。炫为贼所将，过城下堡。
Sui Yangdi did not approve of him because someone said that he did not have good conduct. Liu Xuan went back to the hometown in Hejian. At that time, rebels started to swarm and the price of grain soared. It was impossible to preach the sage doctrines of the classics or pass on teachings. Liu Xuan was separated from his wife and children by hundreds of miles and lost contact with them. He felt distressed and unhappy. Liu Xuan ran out of grain in the commandery city. Many of his disciples followed the rebels. They pitied Liu Xuan’s poverty and lack of resources, so they went to see the commandery magistrate at the foot of the commandery city and asked for Liu Xuan. Then, the commandery magistrate released him. Liu Xuan was taken away by rebels and passed by fortresses.