Hafiz's Friend

HAFIZ'S FRIEND JAHAN KHATUN The Persian Princess Dervish PoetA Selection from her DivanTranslation & Introduction Paul Smith & Rezvaneh Pashai. Published by New Humanity Books/Book HeavenDaughter of the king of one of Shiraz's most turbulent times (14th century) Masud Shah; pupil and lifelong friend of the world's greatest mystical, lyric poet, Hafiz of Shiraz; the object of crazed desire by (among others) Iran's greatest satirist, the obscene, outrageous, visionary poet Obeyd Zakani; lover, then wife of womanizer Amin al-Din a minister of one of Persia's most loved, debauched and tragic rulers Abu Ishak; imprisoned for twenty years while her daughter mysteriously died; open-minded and scandalous... the beautiful, petite princess who abdicated her royalty twice; one of Iran's greatest classical lyric poets...whose Divan is four times the size of Hafiz's. The correct rhyme-structure is kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these beautiful, often mystical poems. Introduction on her Life, Times & Poetry and a unique Preface by herself. 267 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 into 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 over 80 books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Mu'in and others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and screenplays.