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 205 of 3781
YEAR 1791 · Entry 205
French
p. 409Il y a des loixs et des décrets. Les loixs doivent porter l’empreinte d’une raison élevée au-dessus de tous les cas particuliers. Elles doivent régner toujours. Les décrets n’ont que les circonstances en vue; ils sont faits par le législateur non en tant que législateur, mais en tant qu’administrant et gouvernant. C’est un ordre de dictateur. Ils n’ont pas besoin d’être comme la loi l’expression de la raison éternelle, mais de la prudence. Ils ne sont faits que pour un temps, pour un moment. Les loixs se taisent dans les troubles c’est alors que les décrets parlent. Les loixs brillent dans les beaux jours, les décrets dans les nébuleux. Ils voilent la loi comme on voile quelquefois dans nos temples ce qu’on y honore, pour en éviter la prophanation dans de certains moments où l’adoration est suspendue. Dans le cours ordinaire des choses on ne doit suivre que la loi; dans les écarts des événemens on peut être contraint légitimement d’obéir encore au décret. L’une est divine et l’autre est saint... Il veille quand la loi s’endort dans la nuit que .... ameine.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: YEAR 1791
p. 410There are laws and decrees. Laws must bear the stamp of a reason raised above all particular cases. They must reign always. Decrees have only the circumstances in view: they are made by the legislator in his capacity as administrator and governor, not as legislator. It is a dictator’s order. They need not, like law, be the expression of eternal reason, but of prudence. They are made only for a time, for a moment. Laws fall silent in times of trouble; then decrees speak. Laws shine on fair days, decrees on cloudy ones. They veil the law as we sometimes veil in our temples what we honor there, to keep it from profanation at certain moments when worship is suspended. In the ordinary course of things one should follow only the law; when events stray from that course, one may legitimately be compelled to obey the decree as well. The one is divine and the other sacred... It keeps watch when the law falls asleep in the night that .... brings.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · YEAR 1791 · Entry 205
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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.