《宋书·列传·卷八十二》
而秦汉以来的各种弊端，还在社会上流行，魏晋留下的荒唐现象还在人民中充斥，这样而希望国家安宁，教化超过古代，好比向后走而想到前方，堆积干柴于烈火之上，我不知道是不是有比这更恰当的比喻。
而秦、汉余敝，尚行于今，魏、晋遗谬，犹布于民，是而望国安于今，化崇于古，却行及前之言，积薪待然之譬，臣不知所以方。
But the various evils that have existed since Qin and Han are still prevalent in society, and the ridiculous phenomena left over from Wei and Jin still fill the people. In this way, hoping that the country will be peaceful and that education will surpass the ancients is like walking backwards and yet expecting to reach the front, piling dry firewood on a blazing fire. I don't know if there is a more apt metaphor than this.