The Salt of the Earth社会中坚;民族精华;优秀份子
The Salt of the Earth这个成语,字面意思“世上的盐”
盐是饮食中不可缺少的调味品,人体若缺盐,健康就会受到影响,出现种种疾病。盐还有杀菌、解毒、消炎、除污等多种功用,它既是“百药之王”,又是工业之母,确是值得珍视的东西。在许多民族的习俗汇总,盐被当作敬客的高贵礼品.
The Salt of the Earth一词出自《圣经》,据《新约。马太福音》(Matthew)第5长记载:耶稣对他的门徒说:"Ye are the salt of the earth:but if the salt have lost his savor,wherewith shall it be salted? " 在这里,salt用于转义,表示flavor;of the earth即of the world。这是耶稣登山垂训论"福",所讲福音结尾的话,他把门徒比做“世上的盐”,这是极高的称赞。这句话在后世不断引用变成了一个典故性成语,转义为the most valuable members of sociey;the finest type of humanity;a person or a group of people having the best character 之意.
eg: He does a lot of good jobs and is considered to be the salt of the world.