The Egyptian Book of the Dead

The Egyptian Book of the Dead is a collection of ancient Egyptian funerary texts composed and developed over many centuries. This edition was translated by British Egyptologist E. A. Wallis Budge and published under the title The Book of the Dead.

The work contains spells, prayers, hymns, and ritual instructions intended to guide the deceased through the dangers of the afterlife. These texts were often written on papyrus and placed in tombs to help the dead reach the realm of the gods and achieve eternal life.

Among its best-known passages is the description of the judgment of the dead, in which the heart of the deceased is weighed against the feather of truth and justice. The collection offers a vivid picture of Egyptian beliefs about death, morality, divine judgment, and immortality.

Rather than being a single book written by one author, The Egyptian Book of the Dead is a compilation of texts created by different scribes and religious traditions. Budge's influential translation helped introduce these ancient Egyptian religious beliefs to a broad English-speaking audience.

"Homage to thee, O Rā, when thou risest [as] Tem-Herukhuti (Tem-Harmachis). Thou art adored [by me when] thy beauties are before mine eyes, and [when thy] radiance [falleth] upon [my] body."