Hafiz

Divan of Hafiz of Shiraz

Publisher Marketing: DIVAN OF HAFIZ OF SHIRAZ Revised Translation & Introduction Paul Smith This is a completely revised one volume edition of the only modern, poetic version of Hafiz'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 Book, like the I Ching, is one of the world's Great Oracles. Included are notes to most poems, glossary and 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" 806 pages. Goethe: "In his poetry Hafiz 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 Hafiz 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 HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz 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 is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish and other languages including Hafiz, 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, Ibn al-Farid and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, kids books, screenplays. www.newhumanitybooks.com Contributor Bio:  Hafiz Hafiz was born Shams-ud-din Muhammad sometime around 1320, in Shiraz, Persia. Hafiz lived in Shiraz most of his life and became a Sufi master. Scholars estimate that Hafiz wrote approximately five thousand poems, several hundred of which have survived. Hafiz became famous in the West thanks to the efforts of Goethe and Emerson, as well as Hazrat Inayat Khan. This selection was translated by Daniel Ladinsky. Contributor Bio:  Smith, Paul Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of over 150 books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Khushal Khan Khattak, Ghalib and many others, and his own poetry, fiction, childrens books, plays, biographies and a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooksbookheaven.com