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 2449 of 3781
[LOCKE] · Entry 2449
French
p. 489727 mars.
(Relu tome 1ᵉʳ). Pag. 72. « Dieu lui-même (dit-il) ne peut pas faire qu’un homme ne naisse etc. » C’est à dire ne naisse gentilhomme.
* « Dès qu’ils doutèrent de l’existence de Dieu, ils doutèrent, dit-il, de la légitimité de leurs prérogatives, et regardèrent leurs professions comme des abus ». Conséquence naturelle, et tant il est vrai que Dieu, comme il le dit fort bien, est par essence l’être social.
* En effet toutes les bonnes loix n’ont jamais été que des pratiques, des coutumes réduites en déclaration.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [LOCKE]
p. 4898March 27.
(Reread volume 1). Page 72. “God himself (he says) cannot keep a man from being born etc.” That is, from being born a nobleman.
* “As soon as they doubted the existence of God, they doubted, he says, the legitimacy of their prerogatives, and regarded their professions as abuses.” A natural consequence, and so true is it that God, as he says very well, is in essence the social being.
* Indeed, all good laws have only ever been practices, customs reduced to a declaration.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [LOCKE] · Entry 2449
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.