邑西白家莊居民某，盜鄰鴨烹之。至夜，覺膚癢。天明視之，茸生鴨毛，觸之則痛。大懼，無術可醫。夜夢一人告之曰：「汝病乃天罰。須得失者罵，毛乃可落。」而鄰翁素雅量，生平失物，未嘗徵於聲色。某詭告翁曰：「鴨乃某甲所盜。彼深畏罵焉，罵之亦可警將來。」翁笑曰：「誰有閒氣罵惡人。」卒不罵。某益窘，因實告鄰翁。翁乃罵，其病良已。
本縣縣城西邊的白家莊，有個居民偷了鄰居的鴨子，煮來吃了。到了夜裡，覺得皮膚髮癢，天亮一看，身上長出了一層細密的鴨毛，一碰就疼。他十分害怕，卻沒有辦法醫治。夜裡夢見一個人告訴他：「你的病是上天的懲罰，必須讓丟鴨子的人罵你，鴨毛才會掉落。」可是鄰家的老翁一向寬厚大度，一輩子丟了東西，也從不在言語和臉色上流露不滿。這人便編了謊話對老翁說：「鴨子是某甲偷的。他很怕人罵，罵他一頓，也能讓他以後不敢再偷。」老翁笑著說：「誰有閒工夫生氣，去罵壞人呢？」始終不肯罵。偷鴨的人更加窘迫，只好把實情告訴老翁。老翁這才罵了他，他的病果然好了。
邑西白家庄居民某，盗邻鸭烹之。至夜，觉肤痒。天明视之，茸生鸭毛，触之则痛。大惧，无术可医。夜梦一人告之曰：「汝病乃天罚。须得失者骂，毛乃可落。」而邻翁素雅量，生平失物，未尝征于声色。某诡告翁曰：「鸭乃某甲所盗。彼深畏骂焉，骂之亦可警将来。」翁笑曰：「谁有闲气骂恶人。」卒不骂。某益窘，因实告邻翁。翁乃骂，其病良已。
本县县城西边的白家庄，有个居民偷了邻居的鸭子，煮来吃了。到了夜里，觉得皮肤发痒，天亮一看，身上长出了一层细密的鸭毛，一碰就疼。他十分害怕，却没有办法医治。夜里梦见一个人告诉他：“你的病是上天的惩罚，必须让丢鸭子的人骂你，鸭毛才会掉落。”可是邻家的老翁一向宽厚大度，一辈子丢了东西，也从不在言语和脸色上流露不满。这人便编了谎话对老翁说：“鸭子是某甲偷的。他很怕人骂，骂他一顿，也能让他以后不敢再偷。”老翁笑着说：“谁有闲工夫生气，去骂坏人呢？”始终不肯骂。偷鸭的人更加窘迫，只好把实情告诉老翁。老翁这才骂了他，他的病果然好了。
A man of Baijia Village, west of my county town, stole his neighbour’s duck and cooked it. That night his skin began to itch. At daybreak he looked, and found a down of duck feathers growing on him that hurt when touched. He was terrified, but there was no cure for it. Then one night he dreamed that someone told him, “Your sickness is Heaven’s punishment. Only if the man who lost the duck curses you will the feathers fall out.” But the old man next door had always been magnanimous. All his life, whenever he lost anything, he had never let it show in his voice or face. The thief tried a trick on him. “The duck was stolen by So-and-so,” he told the old man. “He is terribly afraid of being cursed. Cursing him would also be a warning for the future.” The old man laughed. “Who has temper to spare for cursing wicked people?” And he would not curse. The thief, more desperate than ever, told the old man the truth. Only then did the old man curse him, and he was cured.