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Title: True Translation of Hakim Omar Khayyam's Robaiyat by Omar Khayyam, Irandokht A. Malek ISBN: 1-882029-74-7 Publisher: Eshagh Malek Pub. Date: 04 July, 1994 Format: Paperback List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.5 (4 reviews)
Rating: 2
Summary: A book with a misguided mission
Comment: The author of this self-published book (and yes, my copy also broke along the spine within the first week of ownership) has a grudge against all the previous translations of Khayyam. As the author states in the introductory matter, Khayyam was a famous mathematician, and therefore it is absurd to think that he ever drank wine. The purpose of this translation is to show Khayyam as the truly devout Muslim he was.
Well, there are a number of problems here.
One, did the historical Omar Khayyam write the Ruba'iyat which came down to us? Most likely, he wrote at least some of them, but there is a BIG editorial question here which is ignored in this edition. The entire collection of candidate poems for "The Ruba'iyat of Omar Khayyam" includes a number of works which are piggy-backing along on the famous author's name.
Second, the actual text of the ruba'iyat is eloquent testimony to Khayyam as a free-thinker. Quite obviously, he scorns and rejects every kind of religious and philosophical orthodoxy which confronted him. Khayyam is remembered in Iran as a mathematician, and he was familiar with Greek thought. The intellectual conflicts between Greek rationalism and theological dogma were played out in Iran as well as medieval Europe.
Because of the textual problems, a biased editor can undoubtedly dredge up some ruba'iyat which seem more religious than others. The question is, are they genuine? As noted above, the present editor simply ignores questions of this sort.
A more normal way to proceed would be to state, openly, that a translation is based upon the Persian edition of thus-and-so. You can find translations which do this (ISBN 0140059547, the translation by Avery and Heath-Stubbs of the Ruba'iyat.) Or see the excellent book by Reza Saberi, "A Thousand Years of Persian Ruba'iyat." His rendition of Khayyam is based squarely on a standard Persian edition, used also by Avery and Heath-Stubbs.
Finally, the English deployed by the present translator is plainly a weapon wielded by a person who does not speak English fluently. The translations are extremely awkward, and frequently break elementary rules of English grammar. The stretches for rhymes frequently result in absurdities, or the total abondonment of the Persian text.
The good thing about this book is that it presents both languages. That's fairly rare, but not as rare as it used to be.
Rating: 5
Summary: Hakim Omar Khayam's Roboyat
Comment: This is one of the best literature translation books that I have read. The author must have been well versed in both languages. Usually, to bring out the true meaning of the words in literature is most challenging. The author conveys perfectly the philosophy, and the message of Omar Khayam poetry. I highly recommend this book. It is well illustrated with beautiful paintings. It is very pleasing to look at, and easy to follow.
Rating: 5
Summary: A Refreshing Version
Comment: I first read Edward's Fitzgerald's version of the Rubaiyat by Omar Khayyam when I was a freshman in College many years ago. I have never forgotten some of the quatrains of this very famous poem. Although some of the quatrains are purely mystical and that the universe is a manifestation of God, some of them show another side; they reveal a radical free thinker, who protests in the most forcible manner both against the narrowness and bigotry of the times. He struggles with the questions of life and death during his search for the truth.
Irandokht Malek's translation is a refreshing version of Hakim Omar Khayyam's famous poem. As a non-Persian, I feel that it is probably a truer expression, and a more romantic/spirtual version of the poet's real meaning, and view of life.
This book is well written and beautifully illustrated. I would recommend it highly to everyone.
Bill Eldredge
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Title: Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam by Omar Khayyam, Edward Fitzgerald, Omar Khayyam, Edmund J. Sullivan ISBN: 0312695276 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 01 September, 1983 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
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