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 1366 of 3781
YEAR 1799 · Entry 1366
French
p. 27314 juin.
De l’encre et du papier ne doivent pas être employés comme l’air et la voix. Il ne faut pas forcer à nous écouter trop longtemps ceux qui ne peuvent pas nous fuir. Quelques-uns cherchent beaucoup plus à expliquer leur pensée qu’à la faire entendre. Il suffit cependant de la faire entendre. Au lieu de parler, ils composent. Ce sont là les mauvaises lettres. Il y a cependant des occasions où un air de soin, d’attention et même d’apprêt peut convenir...
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1799
p. 2732June 4.
Ink and paper should not be used like air and the voice. We must not force those who cannot flee us to listen to us too long. Some people seek much more to explain their thought than to make it understood. Yet making it understood is enough. Instead of speaking, they compose. Those are bad letters. There are, however, occasions when an air of care, attention, and even studied preparation may be fitting...
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1799 · Entry 1366
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.