By 1924, Hayim had married and started a family, eventually having six children. Despite his growing family responsibilities, he remained focused on his dictionary project. In 1929, thanks to the efforts of the Brokheim brothers—Isaac and Yehuda—the first edition of Hayim’s English-Persian dictionary was published. It was a landmark event in Iranian intellectual history.
Hayim’s dictionary was widely recognized as the most authoritative bilingual lexicographical work since Arthur Wollaston’s English-Persian dictionary published in 1882. Unlike earlier dictionaries, Hayim’s work was not a simple word-for-word translation; it included idiomatic expressions, contextual usage, and practical examples. This set a new standard for bilingual reference works in Iran.
Expansion of Lexicographical Work
The success of his initial dictionary encouraged Hayim to expand his efforts. Over the next few decades, he compiled a large French-Persian dictionary, an expansive two-volume Persian-English dictionary, and additional one-volume versions for accessibility. He also authored a book titled Persian-English Proverbs, which remains a notable cultural bridge between the idiomatic worlds of Persian and English.
