A new translation of a philosophical classic text from the ancient world, the Teaching of Ptahhotep, written in Egypt 4,000 years ago. The Teaching of Ptahhotep, composed two thousand years before the birth of Plato, represents the oldest surviving philosophical statement in the ancient world and the earliest evidence of the power of the written word. It should be the first text on the list of the world's classic philosophical works, although it has been largely forgotten since it was reconstructed in the nineteenth century. Bill Manley's new translation rectifies this injustice by rendering the profound yet practical narrative of Ptahhotep on ‘the meaning of life’ into accessible modern English, offering a new perspective on the Pyramid Age and overturning traditional prejudices about the roots of writing and philosophy. It is a testament to a common thread that connects humanity throughout time, as Ptahhotep tackles the pitfalls of greed, ambition, fame, success, confrontation, friendship, sex, and even the office environment, and his teachings remain remarkably relevant in the modern era.