宋人有閔其苗之不長而揠之者，芒芒然歸，謂其人曰：“今日病矣！予助苗長矣！”其子趨而往視之，苗則槁矣。天下之不助苗長者寡矣。以為無益而舍之者，不耘苗者也；助之長者，揠苗者也，非徒無益，而又害之。

A  man of Song worried about his grain seedings growing too slowly, so he pulled the seedings up. Coming back tired, he told his family that he had a hard day pulling the seeding up. His son proceeded to the fields and found the seeding had all withered. Few people do not hope their grains grow faster. If they are not diligent in removing the weeds, instead, if they are trying to help their grains grow by pulling them up, that would be not only futile but also detrimental to them.