《资治通鉴·宋纪·宋纪五》
文帝多年患病，稍微操劳，旧病就复发，多次病危。刘义康对文帝尽心侍奉，药物非经自己亲口尝过，绝不让文帝服用，有时一连几夜都不睡觉。朝廷内外的大小事务，他都一个人决定施行。
上羸疾积年，心劳辄发，屡至危殆；义康尽心营奉，药食非口所亲尝不进，或连夕不寐，内外众事皆专决施行。
Emperor Wen had been ill for many years. If a little labor would cause the old disease to recur, he would be critically ill many times. Liu Yikang took good care of Emperor Wen. He would never let Emperor Wen take the medicine without tasting it first. Sometimes he would not sleep for several nights in a row. He decided on all major and minor matters in the court.