Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad-zuhd:480ʿAbdullāh > Bī > Sufyān

[Machine] Isa ibn Maryam, ﷺ , said to the readers, "O people of the earth, do not corrupt (or spoil); for when something is corrupted, only salt can fix it. And when salt itself is corrupted, nothing can fix it."  

الزهد لأحمد:٤٨٠حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنِي أبِي حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ قَالَ

عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ لِلْقُرَّاءِ يَا مِلْحَ الْأَرْضِ لَا تَفْسُدُوا؛ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْءَ إِذَا فَسَدَ إِنَّمَا يُصْلِحُهُ الْمِلْحُ وَإِنَّ الْمِلْحَ إِذَا فَسَدَ لَمْ يُصْلِحْهُ شَيْءٍ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Aḥmad's Zuhd
ahmad-zuhd:493ʿAbdullāh > Abū Maʿmar > Sufyān

[Machine] Jesus, the son of Mary, ﷺ , said, "I only teach you so that you may act, not to be amazed, O salt of the earth, and not to corrupt. For when something is corrupted, it can only be fixed with salt, and if salt is corrupted, it cannot be fixed with anything. And do not take from those you teach any reward except like what I have taken from you."  

الزهد لأحمد:٤٩٣حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ قَالَ

قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ ﷺ إِنَّمَا أُعَلِّمُكُمْ لِتَعْمَلُوا لَيْسَ لِتُعْجَبُوا يَا مِلْحَ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا تَفْسُدُوا فَإِنَّ الشَّيْءَ إِذَا فَسَدَ إِنَّمَا يُصْلَحُ بِالْمِلْحِ وَإِنَّ الْمِلْحَ إِذَا فَسَدَ لَمْ يُصْلَحْ بِشَيْءٍ وَلَا تَأْخُذُوا مِمَّنْ تُعَلِّمُونَ مِنَ الْأَجْرِ إِلَّا مِثْلَ الَّذِي أَخَذْتُ مِنْكُمْ