«يِفْتِي عَلَى الْإِبْرَهْ وِيِبْلَعِ الْمِدْرَهْ»

The image sets a tiny object against a huge one. The person described picks apart something as slight as a needle, issuing an exacting ruling that forbids it, yet the same person gulps down a thick wooden pole without hesitation. The absurd contrast exposes a conscience that works only where it costs nothing.

In application, the saying targets corrupt arbiters; because its verb refers to issuing formal legal rulings, it strikes hardest at judges, jurists, and other claimed moral authorities. They parade scrupulousness in minor questions while freely taking bribes and other large illicit gains. It condemns selective strictness as hypocrisy, showing that fussiness over trifles can cover for indulgence in serious misconduct.

Use this as a pointed rebuke of officials or self-appointed moral judges who make a show of rigor over petty matters while quietly accepting bribes or overlooking their own serious wrongdoing. It carries mockery and accusation, so it suits criticism rather than polite conversation.