The Divan of Hafez

DIVAN OF HAFEEZ

Translation & Introduction Paul Smith This is a completely revised one volume edition of the only modern, poetic version of Hafeez's masterpiece of 791 ghazals, masnavis, ruba'is and other poems/songs. The spiritual and historical and human content is here in understandable, beautiful poetry: the correct rhyme-structure has been achieved, without intruding, in readable English. In the Introduction of 70 pages his wonderful life story is told in greater detail than anywhere else; his spirituality is explored, his influence on the life, poetry and art of the East and the West, the form and function of his poetry, and the use of his book as a worldly guide and spiritual oracle.

His Divan, like the I Ching, is one of the world's Great Oracles. Included are notes to most poems, a glossary and a selected bibliography and two indexes. First published in a limited two-volume limited edition in 1986 the book quickly went out of print. Large Format Edition 7" x 10" 656 pages.Goethe: "In his poetry Hafeez inscribed undeniable truth indelibly! He has no peer!"Gertrude Bell: "It is as if his mental Eye, endowed with wonderful acuteness of vision, had penetrated into those provinces of thought which we of a later age were destined to inhabit."Meher Baba: "There is no equal to Hafeez in poetry. He was a Perfect Master ... His Divan is the best book in the world because it engenders feelings which ultimately lead to illumination." COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFEEZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafeez is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished.." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of English to Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages including Hafeez, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in ud-din Chishti, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Hallaj, .Rudaki, Yunus Emre Ghalib, Iqbal, Makhfi, Lalla Ded, Abu Nuwas, Jigar, Seemab and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, kids books and a dozen screenplays