Ruba'iyat of Khayyam — Paul Smith

*RUBA'IYAT~OF~KHAYYAM* Translation, Introduction & Notes by Paul Smith Reprint of 1909 Introduction by R.A. Nicholson Of the 900 to 200o or so ruba'is attributed to Omar Khayyam (died 1132) over 500 years, only ten to twenty percent are now considered to be his. More famous in Iran as an astronomer and mathematician… the nihilistic and hedonistic and occasionally Sufi philosophy in his ruba'is meant his poems were never really popular in his homeland, but after the work of FitzGerald the west fell in love with him. Included in the Introduction: The Life and Times of Omar Khayyam and his work as a Scientist & Philosopher and a history of the ruba'i and examples by its greatest exponents and a chapter on the various translations into English and other languages. Selected bibliography. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these beautiful, fatalistic, intoxicated, loving, sometimes mystical and satirical 186 four-line poems. 268 pages. 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. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all.” Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. “Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith.” Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many works into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. “I was very impressed with the beauty of these books.” Dr. R.K. Barz. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. “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 over 80 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, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Rahman Baba, Bulleh Shah and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays.