GHAZALS OF GHALIB... Translation & Introduction Paul Smith. Mirza Asadullah Beg (1797-1869}, known as Ghalib (conqueror), a pen-name or takhallus he adopted in the tradition of classical Persian and Urdu poets, was born in the city of Agra of parents with Turkish aristocratic ancestry. When he was only five his father Abdullah Beg Khan died in a battle while working under Rao Raja Bakhtwar Singh of Alwar and his uncle Nasrullah Beg Khan took charge of him. But he lost his uncle also at the age of eight. He then moved to Delhi. He lived on state patronage, credit or the generosity of friends. His fame came to him posthumously. His major poetry was ghazals in Persian, but he is more famous for those written in Urdu. Dr. Arifshah Gilani, author of 'Ghalib: His Life and Persian Poetry' states: "Ghalib is, to all intents and purposes, the last of the great classical poets of the Indo-Pakistan sub-continent, because although the late Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal has made a distinct and valuable contribution in Persian poetry, still in so far as the language is concerned, he cannot be said to have even approached Ghalib, much less surpassed him." He also states, "Strictly speaking, the real Ghalib lies not only in the twelve hundred Urdu verses but also in the twelve thousand and odd couplets of his Persian poetry... Like an eagle he flew over all the rest. In fact, he was a giant amongst the pygmies. His many sided genius should earn him and abiding niche in the domain of Persian poetry." Here is a large selection of his ghazals from the Persian and Urdu in the correct form and meaning with Introduction on his Life, Times, Poetry, The Form of the Ghazal, Urdu Language, Selected Bibliography. Large Format Paperback 7" x 10" 145 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 into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. 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, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Shah Latif, Mahsati, Bulleh Shah, Khushal Khan Khattak, Iqbal, Seemab, Jigar, Makhfi and others and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. amazon.com/author/smithpa