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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YEAR 1798 · Entry 1152
French
p. 2303La loi est la déclaration de ce qui a semblé le plus juste dans le pays où elle est faite, comme l’axiome est la déclaration de ce qui a semblé le plus vrai. La loi oblige. Où il n’y a pas de justice, ou du moins une forte apparence de justice, il n’y a pas de loi, mais il peut y avoir décret. Le nom de loi ne doit se donner qu’à ce qui est fondamental dans les conceptions politiques ou civiles.
La loi, majeure du syllogisme.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1798
p. 2304Law is the declaration of what has seemed most just in the country where it is made, just as the axiom is the declaration of what has seemed most true. Law obliges. Where there is no justice, or at least a strong appearance of justice, there is no law, but there may be a decree. The name of law should be given only to what is fundamental in political or civil conceptions.
Law, the major premise of the syllogism.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1798 · Entry 1152
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.