薛尚谦、邹谦之、马子萃、王汝止待坐，因叹先生自征宁藩已来，天下谤议益众，请各言其故。有言先生功业势位日隆，天下忌之者日众；有言先生之学日明，故为宋儒争是非者亦日博；有言先生自南都以后，同志信从者日众，而四方排阻者日益力。
先生曰：「诸君之言，信皆有之，但吾一段自知处，诸君俱未道及耳。」
诸友请问。
先生曰：「我在南都已前，尚有些子乡愿的意思在；我今信得这良知真是真非，信手行去，更不著些覆藏；我今才做得个狂者的胸次，使天下之人都说我行不揜言也罢。」
尚谦出曰：「信得此过，方是圣人的真血脉。」
薛尚谦、邹谦之、马子萃、王汝止陪坐，谈起先生自平定宁王以来，天下毁谤非议更多，请各人说说缘故。有人说先生功业势位日隆，天下忌恨的人日众；有人说先生之学日明，所以替宋儒争是非的人也日多；有人说先生自南京讲学以来，同志信从的日众，而四方排挤阻挠的也日益卖力。
先生说：「诸位说的确实都有，但我一段自己知道的地方，诸位都没说到。」
众人请教。
先生说：「我在南京以前，还有些乡愿的意思在；如今我信得这良知真是真非，随手做去，再不加一点遮掩；我如今才做得个狂者的胸次，使天下人都说我言行不符也罢了。」
尚谦起身说：「信得过这一步，才是圣人的真血脉。」
Xue Shangqian, Zou Qianzhi, Ma Zicui and Wang Ruzhi sat in attendance, and, speaking of how the world's slander had multiplied since the Master quelled the Prince of Ning, each gave his reason: one said his deeds and station rose daily, and envy with them; one said his learning shone daily, and the champions of the Song masters multiplied; one said the followers of the true cause had grown since Nanjing, and with them the vehemence of opposition.
The Master said: 'All true — yet the thing I know in myself, none of you has touched.'
They begged to hear.
'Before Nanjing there was still something of the village-worthy in me. Now I trust this innate knowledge's true right and true wrong; I go straight on, nothing kept back. Only now have I attained the breast of the wild-at-heart — let all the world say my deeds fall short of my words.'
Shangqian rose: 'To trust through to this — that is the sage's true bloodline.'