《史记·七十列传·仲尼弟子列传》
如今我私下听说大王将要发动正义之师，讨伐强暴，扶持弱小，困扼残暴的齐国而安抚周朝王室，请求出动越国境内全部军队三千人，勾践请求亲自披挂铠甲、拿着锐利的武器，甘愿在前面去冒箭石的危险。
今窃闻大王将兴大义，诛彊救弱，困暴齐而抚周室，请悉起境内士卒三千人，孤请自被坚执锐，以先受矢石。
Now I have heard that you are going to launch a just army, to punish the violent, support the weak, to trouble the cruel State of Qi and comfort the royal court of the Zhou Dynasty, and I request that you dispatch all three thousand troops from the State of Yue, and Goujian requests that he personally put on his armor and hold sharp weapons, and is willing to risk facing the arrows and rocks.