原文
公有领域和大怨，必有餘怨，
安可以為善？是以聖人執左契，
而不責於人。有德司契，
無德司徹。
天道無親，常與善人。
王弼注
待校读不明理其契，以致大怨已至。而德和之，其傷不復，故有餘怨也。
左契，防怨之所由生也。
有德之人念思其契，不念怨生而後責於人也。
徹，司人之過也。
河上公章句
待校读殺人者死，傷人者刑，以相和報。
任刑者失人情，必有餘怨及於良人也。
言一人吁嗟則失天心，安可以和怨為善？
古者聖人執左契，合符信也。無文書法律，刻契合符以為信也。
但刻契為信，不責人以他事也。
有德之君，司察契信而已。
無德之君，背其契信，司人所失。
天道無有親疏，唯與善人，則與司契者也。
Legge 1891
Public domainWhen a reconciliation is effected (between two parties) after a
great animosity, there is sure to be a grudge remaining (in the mind
of the one who was wrong). And how can this be beneficial (to the
other)?
Therefore (to guard against this), the sage keeps the left-hand
portion of the record of the engagement, and does not insist on the
(speedy) fulfilment of it by the other party. (So), he who has the
attributes (of the Tao) regards (only) the conditions of the
engagement, while he who has not those attributes regards only the
conditions favourable to himself.
In the Way of Heaven, there is no partiality of love; it is always
on the side of the good man.