Reviews
Omar Khayyam's Ruba’iyat delves into profound themes, using wine and love metaphorically. Beyond his renown in poetry, Khayyam, a mathematician, faced controversy for challenging norms. Misinterpretations in Western translations, like Fitzgerald's literal approach, obscure the Sufi essence. The Ruba’iyat's symbolic language emphasizes life's spiritual facets.
"Sans song, sans wine, sans singer, and sans end."
Greatly appreciated the forthright, near-literal translation of verse by Avery and Heath-Stubbs. I look forward to reading the poetic Fitzgerald version as well, but I think this was the better place to start. Khayyam's poetry itself is stunning, missing nothing in its concise ruminations. (Concise rumination seems an oxymoron, and that is precisely the joy of discovering this work!)
