只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯

zhǐ xǔ zhōuguān fàng huǒ, bù xǔ bǎixìng diǎn dēng

[one may steal a horse while another may not look over the hedge] 专制统治者自己为所欲为, 不许百姓有丝毫自由