“Shame of being ignorant leads to knowledge; shame of being poor leads to wealth.”
A healthy sense of shame at one's own shortcomings can motivate real self-improvement.
— Traditional Khmer Wisdom, Cambodia
Source: Traditional Khmer proverb (សុភាសិត), public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Cambodia
When the water rises, the fish eat the ants; when the water recedes, the ants eat the fish.
Fortunes turn. Those who are powerful today may be powerless tomorrow, so never be cruel in strength.
Keep company with the wise and gain wisdom; keep company with fools and gain sorrow.
The company you keep shapes what you become.
A falling leaf lands not far from its trunk.
Children carry the nature of their family and roots.
One mountain does not hold two tigers.
Only one leader or dominant force can rule a single place at a time.
You may know a great deal yourself, yet still respect what others know.
Humility means recognizing that others hold knowledge you may lack, however capable you are.
Sitting in the winnowing basket, still he lifts himself up.
A mocking image of self-praise — boasting about oneself while in a lowly position achieves nothing.