salt of the earth

Calque of Ancient Greek τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς (tò hálas tês gês) in the Book of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 13.

• "People who are firm but fair, and fair but firm, are the salt of the earth."
• "Yee are the ſalt of the earth: But if the ſalt haue loſt his ſauour, wherewith ſhall it bee ſalted: It is thencefoꝛth good foꝛ nothing, but to be caſt out, and to be troden vnder foote of men."
• "Dodger fans, convinced they were the salt of the earth, would swear they could tell a Yankee fan from 20 paces by a lack of humor, or a New York Giant fan by an overbearing quality."
• ""When someone dies, especially when a life is cut short under tragic circumstances, people always say, 'they were great, they were the salt of the earth,'" said Hagit Hornstein, a friend and colleague of Cherkesky. "But Michal [Cherkesky] really was perfect. There's no other word to describe her, an angel. I miss her already.""

• scum of the earth

• down-to-earth
• earthy
• worth one's salt