Baba Tahir

Divan of Baba Tahir

DIVAN OF BABA TAHIR (The 'Naked' Sufi Poet) Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Baba Tahir, or Oryan ('The Naked') of Hamadan... approx. 990-1065 A. D., was a great God-intoxicated, or God-mad soul (mast) and possibly a Qutub (Perfect Master) who composed about 120 known ruba'i in a simpler metre than the usual 'hazaj' metre. His simple, mystical poems that he would sing while wandering naked throughout the land had a profound influence on Sufis and dervishes and other ruba'i composers, especially Abu Sa'id, Ibn Sina and Omar Khayyam. Included in the Introduction: The Life, Times & Poetry of Baba Tahir, a History of the ruba'i and examples by its greatest exponents, Sufis & Dervishes: Their Art & Poetry. Selected Bibliography. Appendix: The Lament of Baba Tahir rendered into English Verse by Elizabeth Curtis Benton. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept and beauty and meaning of these immortal four-line poems. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 245 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." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran."Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of mystical works in English 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 (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many 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, Mahsati, Amir Khusrau, Bulleh Shah, Iqbal, Ghalib, Dara Shikoh, Makhfi, Nazir Akbarbadi, Seemab, Jigar, Huma, Dard, Mir, Hali and many others, as well as his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa