Book excerpt: FAL-E HAFEZ (Omens of Hafez) Translation, Introduction, Interpretations: Paul Smith. Hafez's famous Divan of poems has been used as a Guide successfully by millions of people from all walks of life for the past 600 years. The practice of interpreting his insightful poems (receiving a 'Fal' or Omen) has been a tradition for 600 years. Here are over four hundred ghazals with insightful, clear interpretations by Paul Smith (written over 15 years), an Introduction that includes his life, poetry, spirituality and the history of the use of his book as one of the world's great Oracles. The correct rhyme has been kept and the beauty and meaning of these immortal, mystical poems. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 438 pages Gertrude Bell: "It is as if his mental Eye, endowed with wonderful acuteness of vision, had penetrated into those provinces of thought which we of a later age were destined to inhabit."Meher Baba: "There is no equal to Hafez in poetry. He was a Perfect Master ... His Divan is the best book in the world because it engenders feelings which ultimately lead to illumination." COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFEZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafez is a great feat of paramount importance." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafez 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator 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 Hafez." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many 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, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Omar Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Iqbal, Ghalib, Ibn al-Farid, Hali, Jigar, Seemab, Huma, Vrind and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa