Publisher's Synopsis
'LOVE IS ITS OWN REASON FOR BEING' The Complete Ruba'iyat of Hafiz of Shiraz Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Persia's greatest exponent of the ghazal Hafiz (1320-1392) became a Perfect Master (Qutub), was twice exiled from his beloved Shiraz for his criticism of rulers and false Sufi masters and hypocritical clergy. His Divan shows he composed in other forms including the ruba'i of which he was a master and 160 survive. As with his ghazals, his ruba'is are sometimes mystical and sometimes critical of the hypocrisy of his times. Included in the Introduction are The Life of Hafiz, The Spirituality of Hafiz & The Poetry of Hafiz and a history of the ruba'i and examples by its greatest exponents. Selected Bibliography. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept and the beauty and meaning of these immortal four-line poems. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 238 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."I have never seen such a good translation and I would like to write a book in Farsi and introduce his Introduction to Iranians." B. Khorramshai, Academy of Philosophy, Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of over 80 books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages... including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Iqbal and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa
