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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French Page · Branch 1689 of 3781
[On movement.] · Entry 1689
French
p. 3377Jeudi 17 avril.
Ceux-là seuls veillent qui pensent à vous et qui vous aiment. Tous les autres sont endormis; ils font des rêves et s’attachent à des phantômes. O vous seul la réalité! Rien n’est bon que d’occuper de vous son cœur et son esprit, de ne rien faire que pour vous et de n’être mû que par vous. Mais l’homme n’est pas fait pour jouir ici-bas d’une telle félicité. S’il en étoit capable il auroit sa perfection.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On movement.]
p. 3378Thursday, April 17.
Only those who think of you and love you are awake. All the others are asleep; they dream dreams and attach themselves to phantoms. O you alone, reality! Nothing is good but to occupy one’s heart and mind with you, to do nothing except for you, and to be moved only by you. But man is not made to enjoy such felicity here below. If he were capable of it, he would have his perfection.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On movement.] · Entry 1689
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.