Contrairement aux apparences, le livre de Qohélet n’est pas décousu et n’est pas un tissu de contradictions. Sa composition permet de mettre en évidence les tensions qui l’animent.

Deux leitmotivs sous-tendent tout le livre, celui de la « buée » et celui de la « joie ». La buée n’est autre, en définitive, que celle de la mort, la joie en revanche est celle de la vie. Il n’est pas possible de les concilier. Toute la question est celle de leur articula¬tion. Le refrain de la buée est très fréquent dans le premier ver¬sant du livre, mais, le centre dépassé (7,1-14), il disparait presque pour ne resurgir qu’au dernier moment. Inversement, les sept occur¬rences du refrain de la joie, dans le boire et le manger, et dans le travail accompli, ponc¬tuent régulièrement et en crescendo toute la surface du livre. Ce double itinéraire contraire de la buée et de la joie manifeste comment la vie l’emporte finalement sur la mort.

Pas plus que quiconque, Qohélet ne sait rien de ce qui arrive à l’homme après sa mort. Mais il est une chose qu’il sait, c’est que « le souffle retourne à Dieu qui l’a donné » (12,7). On a coutume de dire qu’à cette époque, il n’existait pas en Israël la moindre croyance en ce qu’on a ensuite appelé « la vie éternelle ». Toutefois, penser qu’une telle affirmation ne serait qu’une manière de parler, qu’elle ne voudrait pratiquement rien dire, serait accorder bien peu de crédit aux dernières paroles de Qohélet qui sonnent comme un testament. La maison d’éternité de l’homme n’est pas son tombeau.

La figure d’Abel, dont le nom signifie « buée », domine tout le livre. Le récit de la Genèse ne rapporte pas la moindre parole qu’Abel ait prononcée durant sa vie, et pas davantage celle qui lui aurait été adressée. Après sa mort, il n’est pas dit que son souffle retourna à Dieu. Il est dit que son sang crie vers Dieu du sol où il a été versé. Il n’est interdit de penser que Qohélet lui prête sa voix pour faire entendre son cri à nos oreilles.

"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

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Qohelet

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Synopsis