دیوان‎‎ [Dīvān]

By Hafez and Paul Smith

Book Overview

""Poems From The Divan Of Hafiz"" is a collection of poems written by the Persian poet Hafiz, also known as Sams Al-Din Muhammad. The book was originally published in 1897 and contains English translations of Hafiz's works. Hafiz is considered one of the greatest poets of the Persian language and his works are known for their themes of love, spirituality, and the beauty of nature. The poems in this book are translated in a way that preserves the original Persian meter and rhyme scheme, and they are accompanied by an introduction that provides context for Hafiz's life and work. This book is an excellent introduction to the works of Hafiz and a must-read for anyone interested in Persian poetry and literature.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1120677122
• ISBN13: 9781120677129
• Release Date: November 2009
• Publisher: Kessinger Publishing
• Length: 154 Pages
• Weight: 0.47 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Gertrude Bell vs. Daniel Ladinsky

I'm troubled (though not altogether surprised) by the previous reviewer's criticism of Gertrude Bell's translations of Hafiz by comparing them to the work of Daniel Ladinsky. I'm troubled because Daniel Ladinsky is not a translator of the poetry of Hafiz. Daniel Ladinsky writes all-new, all-original English-language poems but publishes them under the name of Hafiz rather than taking direct credit for them himself. But I'm not altogether surprised by the previous reviewer, because Daniel Ladinsky's poems are far more popular in the United States than the actual poems of Hafiz, and most people who read Daniel Ladinksy's poems are under the mistaken impression that they're reading translations of Hafiz. Gertrude Bell's translations may leave something to be desired. But at least they're actual translations of Hafiz.

Great Intro

This is the weirdest book! It was published in 1897 and it is now being replicated. The translation of the poems, one should not be too surprised, are basically in King James' Biblical English! She (Gertrude Bell, the author) actually uses the words "ye" and "thou" and "o'er"! The sensuality of Hafiz is thus systematically eliminated! Read Daniel Ladinsky's "The Subject Tonight Is Love" to see the difference. The introduction, on the other hand, is a delight, and it is worth the price of the book itself. It gives insight into the Victorian mindset, allowing one to triangulate a position in respect to the Divine, given the simultaneous thoughts of Hafiz in the 10th century, Bell in the 19th century, and the Beloved Reader in the 21th century!

Fine "lite" edtion, loved particularly the introduction

The introduction by Gertrude Bell, a Hafiz translator and middle east diplomat in the 1920's, is included here and is particularly enjoyable.