译文：当年纣王使用象牙筷子，箕子见了觉得害怕。因为箕子认为，用了象牙筷子，必然会不用陶杯，改用犀角做的杯子；用了象牙筷子，玉杯，必然不会吃粗粮菜蔬，而是去吃山珍海味；山珍海味必然不能穿着粗布短衣，坐在茅屋中吃，一定要穿着华贵的衣服，坐在宽广的屋子，高高的亭台上吃。我怕那个结局，所以在看到开始的时候感到恐惧。过了五年，纣王造了酒池肉林，设了炮烙的酷刑，并因此而亡国。所以说箕子看见象牙筷子便知道天下将有大祸降临。所以说：“能从小处看出以后的发展的人是可以称之为聪明的。”这则寓言通过箕子从纣王使用象牙筷子的事件里，担忧他会发展得越发不可收拾，以至于发生商纣灭亡的故事，揭示了一个见微而知著（或：见微知著）预见性强的深刻道理。
《古代寓言·象箸》
昔者纣为象箸，而箕子怖。以为象箸必不加于土鉶，必须犀玉之杯。象箸玉杯必不羹菽藿，则必旄豹胎。旄象豹胎，必不衣短褐而食于茅屋之下，则锦衣九重，广室高台。吾畏其卒，故怖其始。居五年，纣为肉圃，设炮烙，登糟邱，临酒池，纣遂以亡。故箕子见象箸以知天下之祸。故曰，见小曰明。
——《韩非子》
Ivory Chopsticks
When King Zhou ordered chopsticks made of ivory, Ji Zi was most perturbed. For he feared that once the king had ivory chopsticks he would not be content with earthenware, but would want cups of rhinoceros horn and jade; and instead of beans and vegetables, he would hardly be willing either to wear rough homespun or live under a thatched roof, but would demand silks and splendid mansions.
"It is fear of what this will lead to," said Ji Zi, "that upsets me."
Five years later, indeed, King Zhou had a garden filled with meat, tortured his subjects with hot irons, and caroused in a lake of wine. And so he lost his kingdom.
Han Fei Zi
