Zechariah 13

I did laugh a bit here, but it does get serious. There is, in the grand metaphor, no room in the spirit of the tradition for prophecy that makes one cringe. No room at all these days. Who would want such hairy preeminence?

I am defeat.

The old Jerusalem Bible from 1962 marks some of this as poetry. It does not stand out as poetry. You will I think always be able to see a poetic section by its short consecutive phrases. The syllable counts will make it evident. If it is 'really' poetry, then it needs additional inner cadences.

Zechariah 13		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִֽהְיֶה֙ מָק֣וֹר נִפְתָּ֔ח לְבֵ֥ית דָּוִ֖יד וּלְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם לְחַטַּ֖את וּלְנִדָּֽה	1	B	In that day there will be a fountain opened for the house David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for a sin offering and for uncleanness.	3e	4B	21 6
וְהָיָה֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא נְאֻ֣ם ׀ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת אַכְרִ֞ית אֶת־שְׁמ֤וֹת הָֽעֲצַבִּים֙ מִן־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְלֹ֥א יִזָּכְר֖וּ ע֑וֹד וְגַ֧ם אֶת־הַנְּבִיאִ֛ים וְאֶת־ר֥וּחַ הַטֻּמְאָ֖ה אַעֲבִ֥יר מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ	2		And it will happen in that day, an oracle of Yahweh of hosts, I will cut off the names of causes of pain from the earth, and they will no longer be remembered. And, moreover, the prophets and the unclean spirit will pass from the earth.	3c	4C	33 20
וְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יִנָּבֵ֣א אִישׁ֮ עוֹד֒ וְאָמְר֣וּ אֵ֠לָיו אָבִ֨יו וְאִמּ֤וֹ יֹֽלְדָיו֙ לֹ֣א תִֽחְיֶ֔ה כִּ֛י שֶׁ֥קֶר דִּבַּ֖רְתָּ בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה וּדְקָרֻ֜הוּ אָבִ֧יהוּ וְאִמּ֛וֹ יֹלְדָ֖יו בְּהִנָּבְאֽוֹ	3		And it will be that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and his mother who gave him birth will say to him, You will not live, for you speak falsehood in the name of Yahweh. And they will thrust him through, his father and his mother who gave him birth, when he prophesies.	3c	4C	33 16
וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יֵבֹ֧שׁוּ הַנְּבִיאִ֛ים אִ֥ישׁ מֵחֶזְיֹנ֖וֹ בְּהִנָּֽבְאֹת֑וֹ וְלֹ֧א יִלְבְּשׁ֛וּ אַדֶּ֥רֶת שֵׂעָ֖ר לְמַ֥עַן כַּחֵֽשׁ	4		And it will happen in that day, the prophets will be ashamed, each from his vision when they prophesy, and they will not be clothed in hairy majesty so as to make one cringe.	3c	4B	23 15
וְאָמַ֕ר לֹ֥א נָבִ֖יא אָנֹ֑כִי אִישׁ־עֹבֵ֤ד אֲדָמָה֙ אָנֹ֔כִי כִּ֥י אָדָ֖ם הִקְנַ֥נִי מִנְּעוּרָֽי	5		And he will say, Not a prophet am I. A person, a servant of the humus, am I, for humanity acquired me from my youth.	3e	4C	9 18
וְאָמַ֣ר אֵלָ֔יו מָ֧ה הַמַּכּ֛וֹת הָאֵ֖לֶּה בֵּ֣ין יָדֶ֑יךָ וְאָמַ֕ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֻכֵּ֖יתִי בֵּ֥ית מְאַהֲבָֽי ס	6		And say to him, What defeats are these amid your hands? And he will say, Those I was struck with in the house, from those whom I love.	3c	4B	16 14
חֶ֗רֶב עוּרִ֤י עַל־רֹעִי֙ וְעַל־גֶּ֣בֶר עֲמִיתִ֔י נְאֻ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת הַ֤ךְ אֶת־הָֽרֹעֶה֙ וּתְפוּצֶ֣יןָ הַצֹּ֔אן וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֥י יָדִ֖י עַל־הַצֹּעֲרִֽים	7	~	Sword, be roused against my shepherd, and over the valiant one that is with me. An oracle of Yahweh of hosts. Strike the shepherd, and the flocks will be dispersed, and I will turn my hand against those of little account.	3e	4C	21 23
וְהָיָ֤ה בְכָל־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה פִּֽי־שְׁנַ֣יִם בָּ֔הּ יִכָּרְת֖וּ יִגְוָ֑עוּ וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁ֖ית יִוָּ֥תֶר בָּֽהּ	8		And it will happen in all the earth, an oracle of Yahweh, Two districts in her will be cut off and expire, but the third will remain in her.	3e	4C	22 8
וְהֵבֵאתִ֤י אֶת־הַשְּׁלִשִׁית֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ וּצְרַפְתִּים֙ כִּצְרֹ֣ף אֶת־הַכֶּ֔סֶף וּבְחַנְתִּ֖ים כִּבְחֹ֣ן אֶת־הַזָּהָ֑ב ה֣וּא ׀ יִקְרָ֣א בִשְׁמִ֗י וַֽאֲנִי֙ אֶעֱנֶ֣ה אֹת֔וֹ אָמַ֙רְתִּי֙ עַמִּ֣י ה֔וּא וְה֥וּא יֹאמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽי ס	9		And I will bring the third through the fire, and I will refine them as the silver is refined and I will test them as gold is tested. He himself will call in my name, and I myself will answer him. I will say, It is my people, and he will say, Yahweh my God.	3e	4C	28 29