英语美文背诵 亡灵书

To the ancient Egyptians death marked the end of one journey and the beginning of another.

在古埃及人的眼里，死亡标志着一段旅程的结束，另一段旅程的开始。

After death all ancient Egyptians believed that they must leave behind the green fertile farmlands of Egypt and the waters of the river Nile to travel to the afterlife.

死后，古埃及人认为自己应该葬在有着肥沃的土地，有尼罗河水的地方。只有这样，自己的亡灵才得以转世永生。

They hoped that afterlife would be a perfect place that resemble the beautiful landscape of Egypt they have left behind.

他们希望转世后的地方像自己的埋葬之地那样，有着埃及的美景。

It was called "the Field of Reeds¹."

这样的地方就叫做“芦苇之地”。

But to reach the afterlife they had to make a dangerous and frightening journey.

但是想要转世，他们必须经历一段危险可怕的旅程。

Their spirit had to cross the netherworld, which was the land of dead, ruled by the god of Osiris.

他们的亡灵必须要去冥国走一趟。冥国是一个只有死亡的国度，由欧西里斯王掌管着。

Hail² to you Osiris: Turn your face to the west. That you may illumine the two lands with fine gold.

向欧西里斯王致敬：把你的脸转向西边，去点亮两片纯金之田。

Those who were asleep stand up to look at you. For to you belong eternity³ and everlasting⁴.

那些沉睡的人们啊，快站起来看看他……看看这个永生之人。

The ancient Egyptians believed that it was very important to prepare for this journey.

古埃及人认为旅程的前期准备很重要。

How would they ward⁵ off hostile spirits and poisonous snakes?

他们该如何避开那些不怀好意的灵魂和毒蛇呢？

How would they avoid burning fire and scalding water?

他们该如何躲开熊熊烈火和滚滚热水呢？

And why did the monstrous⁶ devourer⁷ always look so hungry?

为什么吞噬巨怪看起来总是如此地饥饿？

When wealthy ancient Egyptians died, their bodies were mummified.

当古埃及的富人们死去后，他们的遗体会做成木乃伊。

The mummy was placed in a tomb with special objects to protect it and to help the dead face the parrels of the netherworld.

放置木乃伊的坟墓中有很多神奇的东西。它们是用来保护木乃伊的，帮助亡灵渡过冥国中的种种磨难。

One of the objects was a roll of magic spells and pictures. This is now known as the Book of the Dead.

其中一样东西是一幅写满咒语布满图画的书卷。这就是传说中的《亡灵书》。

The mummy stayed in the tomb, but its ba spirit in the shape of a bird could fly away form the tomb to explore the netherworld and try to find a way through.

尽管木乃伊是躺在坟墓里，但是他的灵魂会变成一只鸟儿，飞出坟墓，飞向冥国，寻找通过冥国的路。

In order to do this, the spirit of the dead person would have to pass through gates that were guarded by the gods and avoid being caught in their nets.

在飞去冥国之前，亡灵需要通过由上帝看管的大门，要小心翼翼避免被上帝之网逮着。

They would have to battle with snakes and crocodiles and protect themselves against bloody-thirsty monsters.

亡灵还要和毒蛇、鳄鱼交战，保护自己免遭到嗜血怪兽的袭击。

The dead person used magic and spells from the book of the Dead to help them overcome these obstacles.

在《亡灵书》中的魔法和咒语的帮助下，亡灵们战胜了这些困难。

Oh, you with the spine⁸ would work your mouth against this magic of mine.

噢，有了《亡灵书》，念念咒语就可以打败我的魔法。

No crocodile which lives by magic shall take it away.

魔法创造的鳄鱼也无法战胜你。

At the end of each day, the ba spirit returned to the mummy in the tomb.

每天傍晚十分，巴灵魂会回到坟墓里的木乃伊中。

The final and the most important stage in the journey of the dead was the trial in the hall of judgement.

亡灵的最后一段也是最重要的一段旅程是诸神的审判。

The dead person's heart was weighted against the feather of truth.

亡灵的良心将要和真实羽毛的重量进行对比。

If their heart proved too heavy, they would be condemned⁹ and eaten by the monstrous Devourer.

如果良心比羽毛重太多，亡灵将要受到谴责，被吞噬怪吃掉。

If their heart balanced on the scales, the dead person will be allowed to enter and to remain forever in a perfect world, travelling across the sky with the son god Ra or tending their crops in a perfect landscape that resembled the green fertile banks of that beloved river Nile.

如果良心和羽毛一样重，亡灵就可以去到完美之境，并永远待在那里。在那个完美之境中，和上帝之子太阳神一同飞过苍窘。在如尼罗河河岸一般的苍绿肥沃的土地上，照料庄稼。

Are you prepare to make the same journey?

你准备好同样的旅程了吗？

Can you discover how to use the spells of the Book of the Dead to help you on your way?

你知道如何运用《亡灵书》中的咒语去帮助旅途中的自己吗？

It's time now to go to the exhibition and meet the god Osiris and the monstrous Devourer.

来来来，是时候去看看展览，会会欧西里斯王和吞噬怪了。

1 reeds   

芦苇( reed的名词复数 )； 芦丛； 簧舌； 簧片

参考例句：

• Our roof was made of dried reeds. 我们的屋顶是用干芦苇盖的。
• Oaks may fall when reeds stand the storm. 芦苇耐风暴，橡树却会倒。

2 hail   

n.雹，一阵；vi.下雹；vt.高呼，为...喝彩

参考例句：

• Hail fell with such violence that it broke windows.冰雹猛落，把玻璃窗也砸破了。
• The people lined the streets to hail the returning heroes.人们夹道欢迎凯旋的英雄们。

3 eternity   

n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷

参考例句：

• The dull play seemed to last an eternity.这场乏味的剧似乎演个没完没了。
• Finally,Ying Tai and Shan Bo could be together for all of eternity.英台和山伯终能双宿双飞，永世相随。

4 everlasting   

adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的

参考例句：

• These tyres are advertised as being everlasting.广告上说轮胎持久耐用。
• He believes in everlasting life after death.他相信死后有不朽的生命。

5 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

6 monstrous   

adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的

参考例句：

• The smoke began to whirl and grew into a monstrous column.浓烟开始盘旋上升，形成了一个巨大的烟柱。
• Your behaviour in class is monstrous!你在课堂上的行为真是丢人！

7 devourer   

吞噬者

参考例句：

• All hail Abaddon, the Great Devourer. 魔王（亚巴顿）万岁！伟大的吞噬者。
• You summon a goddamn Devourer on my turf, and I just let it go? 你在我的地盘召唤了一只吞噬者，而我只是视而不见？

8 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

9 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。