」公曰：「患有大於此者乎?對曰：「夫大臣重祿而不極諫，近臣畏罪而不敢言，左右顧寵於小官而君不知，此誠患之大者也。」
As for the plague, it is about to come to an end; and, as for the Di tribesmen, they are not a serious threat.” “Can there be disasters greater than these?” asked Lord Ping.
“One might say,” said Shu Xiang, “that, when great officers receive handsome stipends but do not vigorously admonish their rulers, when the closest associates of the ruler are afraid of giving offense and dare not speak, and, when members of court curry favor among lesser functionaries without the ruler’s knowledge, these are major disasters.