names

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You should try to hear the name the Holy One has for things.

There is something in the phrase: "The Holy One taught him names."

We name everything according to the number of legs it has;

The holy one names it according to what is inside.

Moses waved his stick; he thought it was a "rod."

But inside its name was "dragonish snake."

We thought the name of Umar meant: "agitator against priests;"

But in eternity his name is "the one who believes."

No one knows our name until our last breath goes out.

~ Rumi

version by Robert Bly