文登霍生，與嚴生少相狎，長相謔也。口給交御，惟恐不工。霍有鄰嫗，曾與嚴妻導產。偶與霍婦語，言其私處有贅疣。婦以告霍。霍與同黨者謀，窺嚴將至，故竊語雲：「某妻與我最昵。」眾不信。霍因捏造端末，且雲：「如不信，其陰側有雙疣。」嚴止窗外，聽之既悉，不入徑去。至家，苦掠其妻；妻不伏，搒益殘。妻不堪虐，自經死。霍始大悔，然亦不敢向嚴而白其誣矣。
文登霍生，与严生少相狎，长相谑也。口给交御，惟恐不工。霍有邻妪，曾与严妻导产。偶与霍妇语，言其私处有赘疣。妇以告霍。霍与同党者谋，窥严将至，故窃语云：「某妻与我最昵。」众不信。霍因捏造端末，且云：「如不信，其阴侧有双疣。」严止窗外，听之既悉，不入径去。至家，苦掠其妻；妻不伏，搒益残。妻不堪虐，自经死。霍始大悔，然亦不敢向严而白其诬矣。
A scholar of Wendeng named Huo had been on familiar terms with a scholar named Yan since they were boys, and as they grew up they took to teasing each other. They traded quick-tongued gibes, each afraid only that his own were not sharp enough. Huo had an old woman for a neighbour who had once been midwife to Yan’s wife. Chatting one day with Huo’s wife, she happened to mention that Yan’s wife had warts on her private parts. Huo’s wife told Huo. Huo laid a plan with his companions. Watching for when Yan was about to arrive, he whispered, on purpose, “Yan’s wife and I are very close.” The others did not believe him. So Huo made up the whole affair from start to finish, and added, “If you don’t believe me — she has two warts beside her private parts.” Yan had stopped outside the window and heard every word. He did not go in, but went straight away. At home he beat his wife cruelly to make her confess. She would not admit it, and the beatings grew more savage. Unable to bear the abuse, she hanged herself. Only then did Huo bitterly regret it, but he did not dare go to Yan and tell him it had been a lie.
嚴妻既死，其鬼夜哭，舉家不得寧焉。無何，嚴暴卒，鬼乃不哭。霍婦夢女子披髮大叫曰：「我死得良苦，汝夫妻何得歡樂耶？」既醒而病，數日尋卒。霍亦夢女子指數詬罵，以掌批其吻。驚而寤，覺脣際隱痛，捫之高起，三日而成雙疣。遂為痼疾。不敢大言笑；啟吻太驟，則痛不可忍。
严妻既死，其鬼夜哭，举家不得宁焉。无何，严暴卒，鬼乃不哭。霍妇梦女子披发大叫曰：「我死得良苦，汝夫妻何得欢乐耶？」既醒而病，数日寻卒。霍亦梦女子指数诟骂，以掌批其吻。惊而寤，觉唇际隐痛，扪之高起，三日而成双疣。遂为痼疾。不敢大言笑；启吻太骤，则痛不可忍。
After Yan’s wife died, her ghost wept every night, and the whole household had no peace. Before long Yan died suddenly, and then the ghost stopped weeping. Huo’s wife dreamt of a woman with her hair hanging loose, who screamed at her, “My death was bitter indeed. What right have you and your husband to be happy?” She woke up ill, and a few days later she died. Huo too dreamt of the woman. She pointed at him, counted off his wrongs and cursed him, and slapped him across the mouth. He woke with a start and felt a dull ache at the edge of his lips. When he touched the place it was swollen, and in three days it had become two warts. They never went away. He did not dare talk loudly or laugh; if he opened his mouth too suddenly, the pain was more than he could bear.