但在此之前，这位接受命运选择的人要面对最后一个难关，那就是称量心脏。在冥王奥西里斯以及数位审判官面前，他的心脏被放到一个天平上，与一根代表正义的羽毛相比较。如果他的心无罪，天平则平衡，他便能进入天堂。但如果他的心因为罪孽而沉重，那么其心脏马上会被一只恐怖的怪兽吞食，他就要遭殃了。他将从此消失，这对一个埃及人来说是无法想象的灾难。
Egyptian civilization lasted for a long time, and the Book of the Dead went through 17)revisions. The Pyramid Texts注1 were written during the Old Kingdom, about 2500 to 2000 BC. During that time, only the Pharaoh could live after death, so the writings belonged to him and were written on the inside walls of his pyramid. By the Middle Kingdom, about 2000 to 1500 BC, everyone could 18)attain the afterlife, and the Book of the Dead contained new writing as well as writing from the Pyramid Texts. Not only was it more 19)relevant to ordinary people, they could also buy a copy personalized just for them. During the Late Period, which ended in the fourth century BC, the Book of the Dead was called the Book of Breathings. By this time, Egypt had been conquered by the Greeks and was under many foreign influences.
埃及文明源远流长，《亡灵书》也几经修改。古王国时期（约公元前2500-2000年）用的是金字塔文。在那段时期，只有法老可以在死后继续生存，所以那些文字仅属于他，被写在其金字塔内部的墙壁上。到了中王国时期（约公元前2000-1500年），所有人都可以获得来生，这时的《亡灵书》包含了新的文字以及金字塔文。《亡灵书》不仅更加贴合普通人的生活，人们还可以买定制的版本。在后王朝时期（于公元前4世纪结束），《亡灵书》被称为《呼吸之书》。这时的埃及已经被希腊人占领，受到大量外来文化的影响。
One personalized Book of the Dead was made for a 20)scribe named Ani who lived in Thebes about 1240 BC. It was translated by E. A. Wallis Budge注2 in 1895, and is considered a standard in the field of Egyptology. However, Budge cut the 78 foot scroll into 37 sheets of nearly equal size to make it easier to work with. Today the scroll is in the British Museum.
其中一部《亡灵书》是为一位名叫阿尼的书记官专门打造的，他生活在公元前1240年的底比斯。E·A·沃利斯·巴奇于1895年将它翻译出来，其译作被认为是埃及学领域的典范。然而，为了便于研究，巴奇把长78英尺（23.77米）的卷轴剪成37份差不多大小的小块。今天，这幅卷轴藏于大英博物馆内。
In Ani's scroll, we learn that his titles were “royal scribe and accountant of the 21)divine offerings of the gods.” Ani's wife was Thuthu, and she was a 22)priestess; she played a musical instrument in the temple. They were wealthy and important people.
在阿尼的书卷里，我们得知他的头衔是“宫廷书记官及天神祭品统计师”。阿尼的妻子叫图图，她是一位女祭司，在神庙内弹奏乐器。他们是富有的重要人物。
In the papyru
Ani's journey has a good outcome. Horu the son of Osiri speaks up for him, and he's admitted into paradise.
根据纸莎草卷轴的描述，阿尼的旅程得到圆满的结果。奥西里斯之子荷鲁斯为他说好话，他获准进入天堂。
From their writing including the Book of the Dead, we can get a sense that the ancient Egyptians were not so different from us. They thought about the meaning of life and about their 23)ultimate destiny. They believed that individuals are 24)accountable for their actions. And, like u they hoped for peace and happiness in the end.
从他们的文字——包括《亡灵书》——我们可以感受到古埃及人其实和我们没有多大区别。他们也在思考人生的意义和最终的归宿；他们认为人应该对自己的行为负责。就像我们一样，他们希望终有一天会得到安宁和快乐。
