Jesus Christ in Hafiz Shirazi's Poetry

If you're not familiar with the truly passionate and soul-stirring poetry of the incomparable 14th century Persian Sufi poet, Hafiz Shirazi who's unanimously recognized as the greatest Persian poet ever, please see my previous post on his life and poetic works: Shams al-Din Hafez Shirazi: The Greatest Poet of Persia

Good news o my heart,

The sweet-breathed Christ is coming.

From the sweet fragrances of Jesus,

Someone else's aroma is also coming [The Smell of God].

Hafiz Shirazi

مژده ای دل که مسیحا نفسی می‌آید

که ز انفاس خوشش بوی کسی می‌آید

 حافظ شيرازي

If the grace of Holy Spirit is bestowed again,

everyone will follow the Way of Christ.

فیض روح القدس ار باز مدد فرماید

دیگران هم بکنند آن چه مسیحا می‌کرد

 حافظ شيرازي

If you rise up to heaven -

pure and single like Christ -

your light will also beam

a hundred rays of lights

to the shining sun.

گر روی پاک و مجرد چو مسیحا به فلک

از چراغ تو به خورشید رسد صد پرتو

 حافظ شيرازي

My sorrows were weighing heavily upon me

Until Lord sent down Jesus

Who took away all my pains and sorrows.

بار غمی که خاطر ما خسته کرده بود

عیسی دمی خدا بفرستاد و برگرفت

 حافظ شيرازي

I lost my soul to the red wine

and Hafiz got burned by the fire of love.

Where is Jesus to resurrect us both?

جان رفت در سر می و حافظ به عشق سوخت

عیسی دمی کجاست که احیای ما کند

 حافظ شيرازي

Christ is the kindest most caring doctor of love.

But how can Jesus possibly heal you

If you keep hiding your pains from him?

طبیب عشق ، مسیحا دَم است و مشفق لیک

چو درد در تو نبیند ، که را دوا بِکُنَد؟

 حافظ شيرازي

In love, there is no difference

between a tavern and a Sufi convent.

Wherever a ray of light shines

it's the pure reflection of Beloved.

What gives a Christian Monastery its splendors

are its monks, its church bells, and its crosses.

The Beloved always watches over a lover

who falls madly in love with Him.

O Hafiz, the love doctor (Jesus) is always here,

 it's the pain-stricken patient who's a no-show!

در عشق خانقاه و خرابات فرق نیست

هرجا که هست پرتو ، روی حبیب هست

آنجا که کار صومعه را جلوه می دهند

ناقوس دِیر راهب و نام صلیب هست

عاشق که شد که یار به حالش نظر نکرد

ای خواجه ، درد نیست وگرنه طبیب هست

 حافظ شيرازي