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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Facing Pages · Branch 1003 of 3781
YEAR 1798 · Entry 1003
French
p. 200531 avril.
Quand la terre eut créé le mal, on vit paroître la débauche. Elle étoit si hideuse qu’à son aspect l’esprit fut comme épouvanté. Affin donc d’adoucir ses traits, et ne voulant pas qu’il y eût rien au monde qui fût entièrement difforme, il jeta la honte sur elle comme un voile qui l’embélit et mit la crainte dans son cœur, affin qu’il y eût quelque chose de bon en elle. Toi qui as dépouillé toute honte et mis tous les voiles en pièces, qui oses tout et qui ne crains rien, tu es une malice parfaite, une pure difformité.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1798
p. 2006April 31.
When the earth had created evil, debauchery was seen to appear. She was so hideous that at the sight of her the spirit was as if terrified. To soften her features, then, and unwilling that there should be anything in the world entirely deformed, he threw shame over her like a veil that made her beautiful, and put fear in her heart so that there might be something good in her. You who have stripped away all shame and torn every veil to pieces, who dare everything and fear nothing, you are perfect wickedness, pure deformity.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1798 · Entry 1003
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.