Proverb – Armenian

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Transliteration: Yerger shat gitem, bayts yergel chgitem
Translation: I know many songs, but I cannot sing

The informant was unsure about the meaning of this proverb, but said that her grandmother used to say it to her when she was younger.  She said it was usually used when her grandmother was criticizing her, and took it to describe things in life that she understands but is not a part of.  I agree with the informant, but I also think this proverb can be applied to a variety of situations.  I understand it to mean that no matter how much you think you can do something, you must actually do it to be sure.  To me, it seems to almost be a variation of, “practice what you preach,” with somewhat different connotations.  In other words, you can talk or explain or justify endlessly, but real experience and being proactive is what is needed.