Hafez’s ‘Divan’ in Serbian published in Belgrade
A Serbian version of the ‘Divan’ a collection of verses by ancient Persian poet Hafez (1325-1389) was published in Serbian with a foreword featuring the valuable statements of Iran’s Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, delivered at the 1988 International Hafez Congress.
Divan is Hafez’s major work and the collection is regarded as a pinnacle of Persian literature. It is found in the homes of most Iranians who learn his poems by heart and even today use them as proverbs and sayings, IRNA wrote.
The publication is the result of the efforts of the Iranian Cultural Center in Serbia, in collaboration with the Center for Translation and Publication of Islamic and Humanitarian Sciences of Iran’s Culture and Relations Organization.
The book was published by the Serbian publishing house “Okrugla” in a 552-page volume.
In his speech, Ayatollah Khamenei noted, “Hafez is undoubtedly the brightest star of Persian literature. He is a poet for all centuries and all social classes. His influence extends deep into our society and the hearts and minds of our people. Despite being translated into many languages and studied extensively, Hafez remains largely unknown in his entirety.”
This is the second edition of the ‘Divan of Hafez’ to be published in Serbian, and adapted into Serbian by the Slobodan Jolovic, Serbian literary scholar and translator.
The new edition has been graphically and linguistically adapted for a wider audience, making it accessible to readers across Serbia and the Balkan region.