Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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English Page · Branch 155 of 3781
YEAR 1788. · Entry 155
French
p. 309« Couplets faits par M. Joubert l’aîné le jour de la fête de M. Martineau père en 1788 et chantés par M. Martineau son fils aîné. »
Air : On compterait ses diamants.
Je suis l’aîné des sept enfans dont vous fêtez ici le père, et le connais depuis le tems que mes yeux ont vu la lumière; je vais le peindre trait pour trait, je dirai la vérité même : aisément on fait son portrait, Il se montre toujours le mêmeLa mère qui nous a nourris et dont la plus vive jeunesse colore encor les traits chéris est heureuse de sa tendresse; il est grave, il est sérieux, mes jeunes sœurs aiment à rire, et cependant dans tous nos jeux c’est lui que d’abord on désire.Il vit sans détours au palais, il sert de fils à son beau père, de tuteur à tous ses valets, à ses clients il sert de frère; l’oppresseur n’a point d’ennemi plus intraitable et plus sévère, et l’innocent n’a point d’ami plus intrépide et plus sincère.Si toujours il n’est pas aimé de ceux qu’a blessés sa franchise, il en est toujours estimé Je n’ai pas peur qu’on m’en dédise. Partout on vante sa raison et sa vertu rigide et nuë, on l’eût cité dans son canton quand il eût mené la charruë.Il est fier, non d’être orateur et non de ce qu’on le renomme digne d’être législateur; Il n’est fier que d’être honnête homme, je m’arrête à ce dernier trait,.. il vaut tous les autres ensemble; je vous ai promis son portrait, applaudissez, car il ressemble.Joubert l’aîné.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1788.
p. 310“Verses written by M. Joubert the elder for the feast day of M. Martineau the father in 1788 and sung by M. Martineau, his eldest son.”
Tune: On compterait ses diamants.
I am the eldest of the seven children whose father you celebrate here, and have known him from the time my eyes first saw the light; I shall paint him feature by feature, I shall tell the truth itself: his portrait is easily drawn, He always shows himself the same
The mother who nourished us, whose beloved features the liveliest youth still colors, is happy in his tenderness; he is grave, he is serious, my young sisters love to laugh, and yet in all our games he is the first we want.
He lives without guile at the courthouse, he is a son to his father-in-law, a guardian to all his servants, a brother to his clients; the oppressor has no enemy more unyielding and more stern, and the innocent no friend more fearless and more sincere.
If he is not always loved by those his frankness has wounded, he is always esteemed by them. I have no fear of being contradicted. Everywhere they praise his reason and his virtue, stern and bare, he would have been renowned in his district even had he driven the plow.
He is proud, not of being an orator and not of being acclaimed worthy to be a legislator; he is proud only of being an honest man, I stop at this last feature... it is worth all the others together; I promised you his portrait, applaud, for it is a likeness.
Joubert the elder.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1788. · Entry 155
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Joubert’s notebooks return to the work of thinking and writing, the demands of friendship, and questions of faith, beauty and conduct. This edition pairs the French with a new English translation, preserving the order of the chosen source and the unfinished character of its fragments. Dates and source references allow readers to follow a thought through time or return to its printed context.
Historical Text and Translation
The French text follows André Beaunier’s 1938 edition of Les Carnets de Joseph Joubert, published by Gallimard from Joubert’s autograph manuscripts. Volume I presents the entries on printed pages 32–475. French and English are aligned paragraph by paragraph, retaining the source order, printed dates and page references so readers can return to the facsimile.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared this new English translation directly from the French, preserving Joubert’s distinctions, recurring images, ambiguities and unfinished thoughts. Translator’s notes clarify wording, references and uncertain readings: Essential keeps notes that help explain a passage, while All includes technical detail. Annotations from the 1938 source edition remain distinct from the new translator’s notes.
Rights
The linked facsimile records identify the French source as public domain in the United States. The new English translation and editorial notes are © 2026 Diotimos, with source annotations and new editorial contributions credited separately. This edition pairs the complete French notebooks with an independent English translation, preserving the distinction between Joubert’s text and its accompanying notes.