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 1062 of 3781
YEAR 1798 · Entry 1062
French
p. 2123Oui, Seigneur, vous étendez vous-même votre main pour aplanir le lit du juste, vous retournez son matelas.
S’il est sur son lit de douleur, que le ciel étende sous lui le linceul du soulagement; qu’il amolisse sous ses os le coton, la plume et la laine.
Seigneur, vous-même ne dédaignez pas de soigner le juste malade; vous-même aplanissez son lit, vous retournez son matelas.
Heureux celui...
Que béni soit celui qui écoute le pauvre et l’infortuné; quand il viendra des jours mauvais, que le Tout puissant l’en préserve; qu’il le conserve et lui accorde de longs jours; qu’il le rende heureux sur la terre et le sauve des malveillants; que, s’il est infirme et souffrant, il lui rende sa couche molle, et que Dieu retourne son lit.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1798
p. 2124Yes, Lord, you yourself stretch out your hand to smooth the bed of the just man; you turn his mattress.
If he lies on his bed of pain, may heaven spread beneath him the winding sheet of relief; may it soften beneath his bones the cotton, the feathers, and the wool.
Lord, you yourself do not disdain to care for the just man who is ill; you yourself smooth his bed, you turn his mattress.
Happy is he...
Blessed be he who listens to the poor and the unfortunate; when evil days come, may the Almighty preserve him from them; may he keep him and grant him long days; may he make him happy on earth and save him from the ill-disposed; if he is infirm and suffering, may he make his couch soft for him, and may God turn his bed.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1798 · Entry 1062
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.