《易传·系辞传下·第五章》
孔子说： 世上令人感到可耻可畏的是不仁不义，但小人却不以不仁为耻，不怕背信弃义，甘心去做伤天害理的事情，纯粹以利为义，无利益可得，就不知道勤勉向上，不用刑罚来恫吓，就不知道害怕。
小惩而大诫，此小人之福也。《易》曰： 履校灭趾，无咎。 
Confucius said: What people find shameful and fearful in the world is injustice, but villains are not ashamed of being unjust, are not afraid of breaking faith and abandoning righteousness, and willingly do things that hurt the heavens and harm reason, purely based on profit as righteousness, and without profit. I don't know how to be diligent and upward, and I don't know how to be afraid without punishment.