A Reflection on Life and Love: The Gift by Hafiz Ali Khamis

Gabsile Phala: Some of the poems are very funny! Great read anytime of day you need a pick up or food for thought.✨

United Kingdom on Nov 29, 2022

Divan: This is my first Review ever on Amazon and I am doing this for the love of Hafiz. I am originally of Persian origin and a life long lover of Hafiz... Have visited his tomb and the beautiful city of Shiraz. For people who are looking for a perfect translation, let me tell you that this is not it, not even close. To translate Hafiz, is to try and reproduce Shakespeare in another language and have it somehow come out with the same texture for the modern age (perhaps impossible). So reading Hafiz in Farsi requires years and years of cultural, intellectual and spiritual studies. To me he was an enlightened artist that had walked the esoteric Sufi path to full and authentic comprehension/liberation, in the process one can sense his love for existence and connection to the source (his own being). It feels like he had reached a place where like any great artist he had the necessary tools developed physically/mentally/intellectually to be able to translate his mystical experiences fluently and effortlessly into an external art form (in his case lyric poetry and who knows what else). I am explaining my understanding of him/her to make a point here. Mr. Ladinsky has somehow connected to the...

United States on Jul 27, 2022

Nelle Pettit Smith: I have read in other reviews that this translation of Hafiz is far from accurate, and yet, the poetry has a wonderful mystical element. So, if you are looking for purity in the words of Hafiz, this may not be for you. If you are looking for mystical poetry, you may just enjoy it.

France on Feb 03, 2022

MirMiraj: Thanks to ladinsky for making the essence of Hafiz accessible to the English reader. For a select some, the purpose of Hafiz's poems is the supernal transportation that takes place in the heart, mind and soul of the seeker. A simple reader of Hafiz may appreciate a more mundane rendition; but a Lover comes to Hafiz to be lost in his drunkenness. ladinsky's interpretations above and outside of translations renders the Realm for the English reader. For hearts seeking higher service to the Friend this indeed is all that matters and yes, our hearts do joy at the criticism of those who yet court the kiss of the King for they are still engaged in the evolution back into essence and oh how the heart does dance at the thought of these.

Wayfarer, do God, the "field of holiness" and all creation a favor, purchase this friend's every interpretation of Hafiz and devotionally devour massive morsels until the Final Friend causes YOU to spit out spontaneous sputterings of His own. But don't hurry or worry, for the process may take months or millennia but eventually all will evolve back home to Him.

In joy enjoy in-Joy. Dear one read through that last line again, breathe through...

United States on Oct 10, 2021

Bhpml Willems: As a great lover of Hafiz, I love this book and have given it as a present again and again to friends.

Germany on Dec 07, 2016

Shendra Hanney: “How come Hafiz can span the centuries to steal my heart?” I wrote to the friend who introduced me to the work of this 14th Century Persian Sufi Master…

I “inhaled” his verses, unable to put the book down – his every poem captivating me, and evoking a kaleidoscope of images.

Hafiz inspires us with joy and outright laugher … inexorably guiding us to the only truth we ever need to know… God, in disguise, is everywhere…

“We seek Him here, we seek Him there”... while He lovingly waits beside us!

Hafiz has risen in my awareness in exactly the right timing! I have ordered, “I heard God Laughing” and “The Subject Tonight is Love”.

Daniel Ladinsky’s translations are brilliant, and guided by Hafiz himself.

Canada on Nov 15, 2014

Heloise Idstein: Let thought become the beautiful Woman.

Cultivate your mind and heart to that depth

That it can give you everything a warm body can.
Why just keep making love with God’s child ?

When the Friend Himself is standing
Before us so open-armed ?

My dear,
Let prayer become your beautiful Lover

And become free,
Become free of this whole world

Like Hafiz….!

This guy, plus Dan Ladinsky, his translator/arranger, has saved thousands of souls from shipwreck, I'm sure! The poem above, of all of them, saved me the best, thought being the one thing I could still experience when I had lost sensation and feeling. I could train my thought to become beautiful and then follow that beauty where it would take me. Which is here : mmm beautiful, luscious, tingly.

Germany on Jul 12, 2014

Andrew J. Sydlik: Review of Daniel Ladinsky's The Gift: Poems by Hafiz, the Sufi Master

Spiritual and Poetic Chicanery
The most important point is that this book is NOT a book of translations of Hafez. Instead, it is a book of original poetry by Daniel Ladinsky, "inspired by" Hafez. Other reviewers have pointed this out, but obviously, this book's high rating and continued commercial success show that this is not well enough known. I purchased this for a poetry book discussion group, and now I feel ripped off. No one else there knew of this when I told them at the meeting (I only found out the day before, unfortunately), and were quite shocked. And these are people who have devoted their whole lives to poetry, including one who has done translation herself, so they're no rank amateurs. The person who suggested the book does not have Internet access, so I guess she didn't have a chance to do the research.

Ladinsky has tried to justify pawning off his own work as that of Hafiz, including his own review here, in a pathetic attempt to use a loose definition of translation and that, if it gets to a lot of people and makes people happy, what's the problem? Well, heroin and cocaine can be...

United States on May 27, 2010