***RUBA'IYAT OF SADI*** Translation, Introduction & Notes by Paul Smith Here for the first time in beautiful, poetic English are eighty-eight of the immortal Sadi's wonderful short poems or ruba'is in the correct rhyme-structure and with all of the meanings. Some are deeply mystical, others romantic, satirical and humourous and others intelligently critical of the selfishness of the time... of all time. As fresh today as they were when they were composed some 800 years ago. Included is an Introduction containing The Life of Sadi, his Poetry and his influence on the East and the West and a history of the form of the ruba'i and examples by its greatest exponents. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept as well as the beauty and meaning of these beautiful, and mostly mystical poems. 153 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 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 is a poet, author and translator of over 80 books of Sufi poets from 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, Rahman Baba, Baba Farid, Lalla Ded and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays.