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 1798 of 3781
[On movement.] · Entry 1798
French
p. 3595« Mon fils, disent les mères à leurs enfans, si vous m’aimiez vous ne fairiez pas cela et cela. » L’enfant scait que cependant il aime sa mère, et la mère qu’elle est aimée de son fils. L’une, en parlant ainsi, use d’adresse et non de fausseté. Et l’autre, en se laissant engager par de telles paroles, agit avec une tendre et juste condescendance et non avec une aveugle et imbécile stupidité.
Nous sommes les enfans de la religion. En nous parlant ainsi, elle nous traite en mère. En l’écoutant, nous observons les règles de notre nature, nous nous tenons à notre place, nous agissons comme nous le devons.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On movement.]
p. 3596“My son,” mothers say to their children, “if you loved me, you would not do this and this.” Yet the child knows that he loves his mother, and the mother that she is loved by her son. The one, speaking thus, uses skill, not falsehood. And the other, allowing himself to be drawn by such words, acts with tender and just condescension, not with blind and imbecile stupidity.
We are the children of religion. In speaking to us thus, she treats us as a mother. In listening to her, we observe the rules of our nature, keep to our place, act as we ought.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On movement.] · Entry 1798
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.