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 2882 of 3781
[On Voltaire.] · Entry 2882
French
p. 57632 mai.
Impie est la seule injure dont se servent les pieux. Les Saints même pourroient en user parce que l’idée de Dieu est dans ce reproche. Mais les... de scélérats etc. que Laharpe met dans la bouche de son Saint Louis, non seulement ne conviennent pas à une âme céleste, mais ne conviendroient pas même sur la terre à de vrais gens de bien. Il n’y a dans tous ces mots d’autre idée que l’idée du mal.
Les injures des belles âmes ne doivent être que de simples négations des qualités : malhabile, insensible, incapable, impitoyable, etc., incroyable et non absurde.
(6 mai.) — et d’abord sous peine d’erreur, et secondement sous une peine bien plus grande, je veux dire celle d’une détérioration qui se commet en nous inévitablement par cette faute, nos sentimens étant en désaccord avec la vérité des choses. (Et nota : vérité des choses, vérité des discours.)
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On Voltaire.]
p. 5764May 2.
Impious is the only insult the pious use. Even the Saints could use it, because the idea of God is in this reproach. But the... of scoundrels etc. that Laharpe puts into the mouth of his Saint Louis not only do not suit a heavenly soul, but would not suit truly good people even on earth. In all these words there is no idea but the idea of evil.
The insults of beautiful souls must be only simple negations of qualities: unskilled, unfeeling, incapable, pitiless, etc., unbelievable and not absurd.
(May 6.)—and first under penalty of error, and secondly under a much greater penalty, I mean that of a deterioration inevitably wrought in us by this fault, our feelings being at odds with the truth of things. (And nota: truth of things, truth of discourse.)
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On Voltaire.] · Entry 2882
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.