Those who don’t know enough are eager to learn. The next sentence is: those who are ashamed to ask are complacent.
Those who know their shortcomings are eager to learn, and those who are ashamed to ask others are complacent means: those who know their own shortcomings are humble and eager to learn, while those who are ashamed to ask others for advice are proud and complacent. If you can realize that your knowledge is not enough, you will continue to have the desire and motivation to learn; if you are ashamed to learn from people who are inferior to you, then such a person will be very complacent.
Those who don’t know enough are eager to learn, and those who are ashamed to ask are complacent. This comes from: "The Record of Saving Hearts" written by Lin Tie in the Song Dynasty.
Extended information:
There are many famous sayings in "The Record of Saving Hearts", not only those who don't know enough are eager to learn, but those who are ashamed to ask questions are complacent. There are also the following famous sayings:
1. Contentment leads to happiness, greed leads to worry. Meaning: If your desires are not excessive, you will easily feel happy and satisfied. If you are greedy, you will be worried. If you are greedy too much, you will care too much about your own interests and gains and losses, and you will not know when to stop. This will definitely breed worries and troubles.
Be content and be happy, and be greedy and worry. This is to warn people to properly control their own desires, not to overinflate their ambitions, and learn to be satisfied, so that they can enjoy happiness and reduce worries.
2. Loyalty, honesty and integrity are the foundation of one’s life, not just a tool to gain fame. It means: Loyalty and trustworthiness are the foundation of our life, not a tool to gain fame and reputation. Loyalty, integrity and integrity are the basic principles of life and are not tools to gain fame and reputation.
Zhongshan Discipline Inspection and Supervision - Loyalty and integrity are the foundation of a person's life, not a tool to gain fame
Baidu Encyclopedia - Diligent in learning and inquiring