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 3023 of 3781
[On Voltaire.] · Entry 3023
French
p. 6045Dans la plaisanterie, on ne dit qu’une partie de ce qu’on pense; on n’envisage dans son sujet que de certains côtés. De là, le style bref et coupé est naturel à cette affection. Il l’est aussi aux esprits étendus qui, voyant au loin et beaucoup, veulent peu dire. Il leur vient par nature; et il vient par nécessité à ceux qui, ayant égard à la mémoire, y veulent faire entrer facilement ce qu’ils vont dire.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On Voltaire.]
p. 6046In jest, we say only part of what we think; we consider only certain sides of our subject. Hence a brief, broken style is natural to this disposition. It is also natural to wide-ranging minds that, seeing far and much, wish to say little. It comes to them by nature; and it comes by necessity to those who, mindful of memory, wish what they are about to say to enter it easily.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On Voltaire.] · Entry 3023
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.