《贞观政要·卷二·论任贤》
马周机敏善辩，长于陈奏，对事情了解得很清楚，所以讲的话都符合实际。太宗曾说： 我对马周只要一刻不见面，就很想念他。 
周有机辩，能敷奏，深识事端，故动无不中。太宗尝曰： 我于马周，暂时不见，则便思之。 
Ma Zhou had a sharp intellect, was an eloquent speaker and an expert in drafting official documents. He could see to the heart of any issue and everything he said was entirely in accordance with the facts. Taizong once said: ‘If I go even a single day without seeing Ma Zhou, I start to miss him.’