The magistrates are free to set fires,while the common people are forbidden even to light lamps.

 
解释 ( paraphrase )
中国宋朝时有个名叫田登的人，做了州官。因为他的名字“登”和“灯”同音，所以不准百姓提到“点灯”的事。元宵节点彩灯时，田登发出布告说：“本州依例放火三日。”用“放火”代替“放灯”。
根据以上故事引出这条谚语，用来讽刺有些统治者只许自己胡作非为，却不许别人拥有正当的言行和权力。
In the Song Dynasty a new magistrate called Tian Deng forbade the local people to say "light the lamp ",because "lamp"(dēng) sounded like his name. When the Lantern Festival came around, a notice was posted:"With the permission of our magistrate, the people may set fires for three days." By "set fires" was meant "display lanterns".This proverb,derived from the above story, satirizes rulers who indulged in doing all kinds of evil things, but deprived the common people of their basic rights.

造句 ( example )
可是你“只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯”。我们偶说一句妨碍的话，你就说不吉利。