」顏燭趨進諫曰：「君樂治海上，不樂治國，而六月不歸，彼儻有治國者，君且安得樂此海也？
He issued an order to his followers: “The first one who dares to speak of returning will be condemned to die with no reprieve.” Yan Zhu Qu7 stepped forward to admonish him, saying, “You take delight, Your Lordship, in tending the ocean but do not take delight in tending the state and have not returned for six months—if there should be one back there who should usurp the state in your absence, how will Your Lordship be able to continue taking delight in the ocean?” Lord Jing snatched up a halberd and was about to chop him up when Yan Zhu Qu stepped forward, put on his robe in order to await the blow, and said, “Why not go ahead and behead me?
」景公援戟將斫之。
In former days, Jie killed Guan Longfeng, and Zhòu killed Prince Bi Gan. Your Lordship’s worth is not as great as that of those two rulers, and my own capacity is not equal to that of those two ministers.
顏燭趨進，撫衣待之，曰：「君奚不斫也？
Why does Your Lordship not proceed with the beheading?
昔者桀殺關龍逄，紂殺王子比干；君之賢，非此二主也，臣之材，非此二子也，君奚不斫？
Wouldn’t it be allowable to have me placed in the company of those two men?” Lord Jing was pleased with this speech and decided to return to the capital.
以臣參此二人者，不亦可乎？
」景公說，遂歸，中道聞國人謀不內矣。
On his way back, he learned that some men in the state were plotting to deny him reentry.