《汉书·传·爰盎晁错传》
到后来衰败之时，任用不肖而听信谗贼；宫室超过限度，奢侈的欲望没有极限，民力疲尽，赋敛没有节制；妄自称贤，群臣因恐惧而争相阿谀，骄横放纵，不顾灾祸临头；妄赏以随个人喜好，妄诛以发泄怒心，法令烦苛残害下民，刑罚酷暴，轻易处决，亲自射杀人命；天下寒心，不能安定居住，奸邪官吏，利用乱法，横施威风，狱官判官，生杀专断。
及其末涂之衰也，任不肖而信谗贼；宫室过度，耆欲亡极，民力罢尽，赋敛不节；矜奋自贤，群臣恐谀，骄溢纵恣，不顾患祸；妄赏以随喜意，妄诛以快怒心，法令烦憯，刑罚暴酷，轻绝人命，身自射杀；天下寒心，莫安其处。奸邪之吏，乘其乱法，以成其威，狱官主断，生杀自恣。
Later, when there was decline, they employed the wicked and listened to traitors; the palaces exceeded limits, ambitious desires knew no bounds, the strength of the people was exhausted, taxation was unrestrained; they blindly proclaimed virtue, the courtiers competed to flatter each other due to fear, were arrogant and indulgent, and ignored impending disasters; they gave rewards according to their personal preferences, and punished to vent their anger, the laws were harsh and brutal, they easily executed people and personally shot and killed people; the people of the world were disheartened and could not live in peace, evil officials used the disorder to wield their power, and jailers and judges decided life and death on their own.