《尚书·周书·康诰》
不是你封叔要惩人罚人，是国法难容；不是你要批评人，是国家批评人。 王说： 首先要做的，你颁布完善的法律使众人信服，这样所有的处罚就公正了。 又说： 复审犯人，斟酌五六天，到了巡视的时候，好好断理、复审犯人。 
封，敬明乃罚。人有小罪，非眚，乃惟终自作不典；式尔，有厥罪小，乃不可不杀。乃有大罪，非终，乃惟眚灾：适尔，既道极厥辜，时乃不可杀。 
It’s not that you, Uncle Feng, want to punish people; it’s that national law is unforgiving; it’s not that you want to criticize people; it’s that the nation is criticizing them. The King said, “First off, you must promulgate and perfect the laws so that the people will all submit to them, and then all punishments will be just.” And he added, “Reconsider the prisoners for five or six days, and when it’s time for the circuit, properly adjudicate and review the prisoners.”