«كَف بُلْطِي يَاخُدْ مَا يِعْطِي»

The saying describes a person whose hand only ever receives. Such a person readily accepts money, goods, or favors but resists handing anything over. The classic case is a borrower who keeps postponing repayment. The fault it names is habitual withholding and stalling, not a single lapse.

The word bulṭī admits two readings, and neither is certain. It may name a fish whose sides bristle with bones, so cutting it is laborious, and likewise the tight hand yields only after a struggle. Or it may come from a word for dodging what one owes. Either way, the target is the same evasive habit.

Aimed at someone known for taking without reciprocating, especially a debtor who keeps putting off what is owed. It labels a settled pattern of conduct, so it suits a pointed remark about a person's character rather than a single late payment.