Yuan Dynasty
阳春曲·知几（一）
白朴
知荣知辱牢缄口，
谁是谁非暗点头。
诗书丛里且淹留。
闲袖手，
贫煞也风流。
Translation
Knowing honor and disgrace, I keep my mouth firmly closed. Seeing who is right and who is wrong, I only nod in silence. For now, I linger among books and poems. With idle sleeves folded, even in utter poverty, there remains a certain elegance.
Analysis
“Knowing the subtle turn” here means knowing when to speak and when to withdraw. The poem does not praise ignorance; the speaker clearly understands honor, disgrace, right, and wrong. Yet he chooses silence, a gesture of self-preservation in a world where public judgment can be dangerous. Books and poetry become a refuge. The final line is not a romanticization of poverty but a defense of inward elegance: one may be poor and still retain style, dignity, and freedom.