古昔聖王之制，史在前書過失，工誦箴諫，庶人謗於道，商旅議於市，然後君得聞其過失也。聞其過失而改之，見義而從之，所以永有天下也。

古昔圣王之制，史在前书过失，工诵箴谏，庶人谤于道，商旅议于市，然后君得闻其过失也。闻其过失而改之，见义而从之，所以永有天下也。

在古代才德兼备的帝王法制中，史官记载君主的过错后，乐官则朗读归戒劝谏的话，百姓在道路上指责其过错，来往各地的商人在买卖场所批评其过错，然后国君才能够听到自己的过错。听到自己的过错，而加以改正。看到合乎道德规范的行为，就随着实践。因此该国君能够长久拥有天下。

In the legal structures of ancient sage monarchs, after official historians had recorded the monarchs’s faults, official musicians declaimed exhortation and admonition, the populace defamed them in the roads, travelling merchants criticized them at the fairs, and then the rulers were able to hear their own faults. Having heard their own faults, the rulers rectified them. Having found righteousness, the rulers practiced them. Thus, they had been possessed of the realms for a long time.(Vol.17 Han Shu, Part 5)