The Oldest Book in the World

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This new translation presents a philosophical and practical advice classic from ancient Egypt, The Teaching of Ptahhatp, written four thousand years ago and still relevant today. Bill Manley, a noted author and Egyptologist, translates the oldest surviving philosophical text into accessible modern English, revealing the thirty-seven teachings and twelve conclusions of Ptahhatp, the vizier to Pharaoh Izezi (2390–2350 BCE). Manley’s commentary sheds light on Ptahhatp’s practical philosophy, addressing ambition, fame, confrontation, sex, and wisdom, while offering insights into ancient Egyptian life and society. Despite its significance, this work has been largely overlooked since its rediscovery in the nineteenth century. Manley’s translation rectifies this, making Ptahhatp’s concise insights into the human condition available for the first time. Additionally, two other texts are included: The Dialogue Between a Man and His Soul, which explores the meaning of life, and Why Things Happen, the oldest known creation account. These works illustrate how Ptahhatp’s philosophy is rooted in ancient Egyptian beliefs about truth and reality. Manley contextualizes the vizier and the significance of the “oldest book of the world,” preserved in the Papyrus Prisse at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France, providing a fresh perspective on the Pyramid Age and challenging traditional views on the origins of Western philosophy. 74 illustrations /