先生曰：「『烝烝乂不格奸』，本注说象已进于义，不至大为奸恶。舜征庸[1]后，象犹日以杀舜为事，何大奸恶如之！舜只是自进于乂，以乂薰烝[2]，不去正他奸恶。凡文过揜慝，此是恶人常态，若要指摘他是非，反去激他恶性。舜初时致得象要杀己，亦是要象好的心太急，此就是舜之过处。经过来，乃知功夫只在自己，不去责人，所以致得『克谐』[3]，此是舜动心忍性，增益不能处。古人言语，俱是自家经历过来，所以说得亲切。遗之后世，曲当人情；若非自家经过，如何得他许多苦心处？」
先生说：「『烝烝乂不格奸』，旧注说象已进于义、不至大为奸恶。舜被征用之后，象还天天把杀舜当心事，还有比这更大的奸恶吗！舜只是自己进于治，以自身的义薰蒸感化，不去正面纠正他的奸恶。文过饰非，本是恶人的常态；若要指摘他的不是，反倒激起他的恶性。舜当初惹得象要杀自己，也是要象好的心太急，这正是舜的过失处。经历过来了，才知道功夫只在自己、不去责人，所以能达到『克谐』。这是舜动心忍性、增益不能的地方。古人的言语，都是自家经历过来的，所以说得亲切，传之后世，事事切合人情。若不是自家经历过，哪里得来他许多苦心处？」
The Master said: 'The old gloss on steadily he mended, yet fell not into great villainy says Xiang had already advanced toward rightness, short only of great evil. But after Shun was called to office, Xiang plotted his death day after day — what villainy greater! Shun simply mended himself, curing his brother by his own steaming virtue, never confronting his evil head-on. Masking faults is the wicked man's normal state: point at his wrongs, and you only whip the wickedness up. That at first Shun provoked Xiang to kill him — his own haste for his brother's good — was Shun's fault. Living through it, he learned the work lies in oneself, not in blaming others — hence he could reach harmony. This is where Shun stirred his mind and steeled his nature, adding to what he could not do. The ancients' words were lived through first — hence they ring true; handed down, they fit all human feeling. Who but the one who lived it could find his way to its bitter cares?'
- 征庸：召用。
- 闾东本，「以乂薰烝」作「以乂去烝烝也」。
- 指经文「克谐以孝」。