Poems of Hafez

Rating:
Summary: poems of hafez
Review: I am not a scholar of either Persian or English, or of Hafez' poems, but I know enough of both languages to say that Mr. Saberi's translation of Hafez' poems is of the highest quality and fidelity to the originial Persian. In its accuracy, his translation reminds me of the great R.A. Nichelson's translation of Maulana Rumi's Masnawi.

Rating:
Summary: The best complete rendition of Hafez in English
Review: Reza Saberi (the author of the great anthology "A Thousand Years of Persian Ruba'iyat") has here turned his hand to the daunting, not to say impossible, task of translating Hafez into English.

The result is the best complete translation ever done.

A freer, and more lyrical, rendition of _some_ of Hafez can be found in "The Hafez poems of Gertrude Bell." Comparing the two versions is highly informative and entertaining.

An indispensable book for students of Hafez!

Rating:
Summary: a valiant effort, but falls short
Review: Reza Saberi (the author of the great anthology "A Thousand Years of Persian Ruba'iyat") has here turned his hand to the daunting, not to say impossible, task of translating Hafez into English.

The result is the best complete translation ever done.

A freer, and more lyrical, rendition of _some_ of Hafez can be found in "The Hafez poems of Gertrude Bell." Comparing the two versions is highly informative and entertaining.

An indispensable book for students of Hafez!

Rating:
Summary: a valiant effort, but falls short
Review: Translating the ghazal version of Persian poetry is never easy due to its peculiar but essential rhyming scheme. Hafez is made even more difficult by his mastery of vocabulary, mystery of purpose, multiplicity of meaning, and the intricacies and nuances of his intent. In my Hafez class, we spend about 1/2 hour on each ghazal with an ostad (master) of Hafez.... and we're all native speakers! Mr. Saberi correctly states that an intimate knowledge of the culture, religion, history, and times of the era is a prerequisite to an 'accurate' translation (although he mistakenly assumes these attributes are the domain of native speakers only!). However, also important is mastry of the destination language, English. Although the language of this translation is exceptional, IMHO it isn't poetic, nor artistic. More importantly this translation lacks the rhyming scheme of the ghazal which is vital to its form. In these respects, although a valiant effort and filling a niche, I think this translation misses the mark. For my taste, Paul Smith's version comes closer to a truer Hafez, capturing most of the meaning (if not always the muliplicity of meanings) and the intricate melody of the ghazal in the rhyming scheme. And it is far easier to read, grasp, and enjoy!

For example, compare Saberi's (#4):

Zephyr, kindly tell that elegant gazelle that
It was she who made us head toward the mountains and desersts.
Why does that sugar-dealer, may whose life last long,
Never inquire about the sugar-chewing parrot?

to Smith's (#9 from 'Hafiz: Tongue of the Hidden'):

Soft breeze, to the graceful gazelle go gently and say:
"You sent us to mountains and deserts, sent us away."
Sweet seller of such sugar, whose life be always long,
Why not ask about the parrot who needs sugar all day?

I believe the difference speaks for itself.