《宋书·列传·卷九十三》
孔门弟子、亲自接受孔子的告诫，说这样的话，难道不是穷通不能随便操纵得了的，长寿与夭折永远不是人为所能控制得了的，我年岁超过五十，但备受穷困艰难的折磨，因为家庭贫困，奔走东西，性格刚正，才能低劣，和人往往不和，为自己细细思想，必然遭到世人的打击，于是悄然离开官场，却使你们幼年时便遭饥寒，常常感叹晏儒仲的贤妻的话，身抱破被而不忧虑，更何况是儿子们。
四友之人，亲受音旨，发斯谈者，岂非穷达不可妄求，寿夭永无外请故邪。吾年过五十，而穷苦荼毒，家贫弊，东西游走。性刚才拙，与物多忤，自量为己，必贻俗患，僶俛辞世，使汝幼而饥寒耳。常感孺仲贤妻之言，败絮自拥，何惭兒子。
Confucius’s disciple and a person who had received Confucius’s advice personally said these words. Then, it is true that poverty and wealth, good luck and misfortune are not things that are within our control. Whether one has a long life or an early death is never something that we can decide for ourselves. I am over fifty years old, but have been constantly troubled by poverty and hardship. As my family is so poor, I had to run from east to west. My character is strong but my ability is inferior, and I often fail to get along with other people. I have thought about myself and know that I will be hit by the world. That’s why I gave up my position in the government, but I let you suffer from hunger and cold when you were little. I have often sighed for those words of Yan Rujun’s wife who said,” Wrap yourself in tattered quilt but don’t worry.” What’s more, you are all my sons.