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 741 of 3781
YEAR 1797 · Entry 741
French
p. 148122 mars.
Utilité, vérité, justice. — L’utilité ne vient que de l’ordre rétabli ou observé. Elle naît comme le plaisir de la bonne harmonie rétablie entre une chose et ses rapports. Le plaisir vient de l’harmonie dans le jeu des mouvemens. L’utilité de l’harmonie produite par la justesse des applications...
Chez les Grecs et chez les Latins, le mot utile avoit deux sens comme parmi nous et, faute de les séparer, leur morale avoit des obscurités qui donnèrent lieu à de longues disputes entre leurs philosophes. Avec une distinction préliminaire, on auroit désarmé inévitablement les deux partis. Tous ne vouloient pas qu’on dût toujours préférer l’honnête à l’utile. Mais, si on leur avoit dit « Peut-on quelquefois préférer le profit à la justice et le lucratif à l’honnête », aucun n’eût osé dire oui.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1797
p. 1482March 22.
Usefulness, truth, justice.—Usefulness comes only from order restored or observed. Like pleasure, it arises from the proper harmony restored between a thing and its relations. Pleasure comes from harmony in the play of movements. Usefulness from the harmony produced by the aptness of applications...
Among the Greeks and the Latins, the word useful had two senses, as it does among us, and because they failed to separate them, their moral philosophy had obscurities that gave rise to long disputes among their philosophers. A preliminary distinction would inevitably have disarmed both parties. Not all would accept that one must always prefer the honorable to the useful. But had they been asked, “May one sometimes prefer profit to justice and the lucrative to the honorable,” none would have dared say yes.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1797 · Entry 741
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.