《新唐书·本纪·卷四·则天皇后 中宗》
吉凶祸福对于人，就像影之随形、回响应声，因而行善事者常多吉利，但不幸而遭凶祸的人也有不少；作恶者未尝不遭凶祸，而幸免于祸者也不时有之。
夫吉凶之于人，犹影响也，而为善者得吉常多，其不幸而罹于凶者有矣；为恶者未始不及于凶，其幸而免者亦时有焉。
Fortune and disaster are to men like a shadow following a shape or an echo responding to a voice, so those who do good usually have good luck but there are also many who are unfortunately met with disaster; evil-doers have never failed to meet with disaster, but there are also those who have luckily escaped from evil.