楚莊王既服鄭伯,敗晉師,將軍子重三言而不當。
莊王歸,過申侯之邑,申侯進飯,日中而王不食,申侯請罪,莊王喟然歎曰:「吾聞之:其君賢者也,而又有師者王;其君中君也,而又有師者霸;其君下君也,而群臣又莫若君者亡。
「今我,下君也,而群臣又莫若不穀,不穀恐亡。
且世不絕聖,國不絕賢,天下有賢而我獨不得,若吾生者,何以食為!
」故戰服大國,義從諸侯,戚然憂恐,聖知不在乎身,自惜不肖,思得賢佐,日中忘飯,可謂明君矣。
Having vanquished the count of Zheng, King Zhuang of Chu75 went on to defeat the armies of Jin. His general Zizhong addressed him three times and each time failed to propose sound policy.