萊蕪秀才李中之，性直諒不阿，每數日，輒死去，僵然如尸，三四日始醒。或問所見，則隱秘不泄。時邑有張生者，亦數日一死。語人曰：「李中之，閻羅也。余至陰司，亦其屬曹。」其門殿對聯，俱能述之。或問：「李昨赴陰司何事？」張曰：「不能具述。惟提勘曹操，笞二十。」
萊蕪秀才李中之，性情正直誠實，不肯阿諛迎合。每隔幾天，他就會死去一次，僵直地躺著，像屍體一樣，三四天後才醒來。有人問他見到了什麼，他卻保守秘密，不肯透露。當時縣裡有個張生，也隔幾天就死一次。他對人說：「李中之是閻羅王。我也到陰司去，是他手下的官吏。」陰司門上和殿中的對聯，他都能說出來。有人問：「李中之昨天去陰司辦什麼事？」張生說：「不能全說出來，只是提審了曹操，打了二十下。」
莱芜秀才李中之，性直谅不阿，每数日，辄死去，僵然如尸，三四日始醒。或问所见，则隐秘不泄。时邑有张生者，亦数日一死。语人曰：「李中之，阎罗也。余至阴司，亦其属曹。」其门殿对联，俱能述之。或问：「李昨赴阴司何事？」张曰：「不能具述。惟提勘曹操，笞二十。」
莱芜秀才李中之，性情正直诚实，不肯阿谀迎合。每隔几天，他就会死去一次，僵直地躺着，像尸体一样，三四天后才醒来。有人问他见到了什么，他却保守秘密，不肯透露。当时县里有个张生，也隔几天就死一次。他对人说：“李中之是阎罗王。我也到阴司去，是他手下的官吏。”阴司门上和殿中的对联，他都能说出来。有人问：“李中之昨天去阴司办什么事？”张生说：“不能全说出来，只是提审了曹操，打了二十下。”
Li Zhongzhi, a licentiate of Laiwu, was upright and sincere by nature and bowed to no one. Every few days he would die: he lay stiff as a corpse, and only after three or four days did he come to. When people asked what he had seen, he kept it secret and would tell nothing. At that time there was a scholar in the same county named Zhang, who also died every few days. He told people, “Li Zhongzhi is Yama. I go down to the underworld too — I am one of his clerks.” He could recite every couplet on the gates and halls of Li’s court. Someone asked, “What business took Li to the underworld yesterday?” “I cannot tell it all,” said Zhang. “Only that he had Cao Cao brought up for trial and gave him twenty strokes.”
異史氏曰：「阿瞞一案，想更數十閻羅矣。畜道﹑劍山，種種具在，宜得何罪，不勞挹取；乃數千年不決，何也？豈以臨刑之囚，快于速割，故使之求死不得也？異已！」
異史氏說：「阿瞞這宗案子，想來已經換過幾十位閻羅王審理了。畜生道、劍山，各種刑罰都已齊備，他該受什麼懲罰，都有現成的，用不著費心挑選。可這案子幾千年都沒判定，究竟為什麼？難道是因為將被處死的囚犯，反倒覺得趕快一刀了結更痛快，所以故意讓他求死不得嗎？真奇怪啊！」
异史氏曰：「阿瞒一案，想更数十阎罗矣。畜道﹑剑山，种种具在，宜得何罪，不劳挹取；乃数千年不决，何也？岂以临刑之囚，快于速割，故使之求死不得也？异已！」
异史氏说：“阿瞒这宗案子，想来已经换过几十位阎罗王审理了。畜生道、剑山，各种刑罚都已齐备，他该受什么惩罚，都有现成的，用不着费心挑选。可这案子几千年都没判定，究竟为什么？难道是因为将被处死的囚犯，反倒觉得赶快一刀了结更痛快，所以故意让他求死不得吗？真奇怪啊！”
The Historian of the Strange says: The case of A Man must, I imagine, have passed through the hands of dozens of Yamas by now. The Path of Beasts, the Mountain of Swords — every kind of punishment is there, and whatever he deserves could be had for the taking. Yet in thousands of years the case has not been settled. Why? Could it be that a prisoner facing execution would welcome a quick cut, and so they make him seek death and never find it? Strange indeed!