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 3187 of 3781
[On Voltaire.] · Entry 3187
French
p. 6373Quand vous dites : Dieu est juste, Dieu est bon, que faites vous, si non une des plus hautes et des plus hardies opérations de l’entendement? Vous comparez Dieu à un modèle, son être à une nature idéale. Vous lui attribuez une perfection que vous concevez hors de lui en quelque sorte, tant le primitif est pour l’esprit hors d’existence et en essence seulement. Et cette haute opération, cette opération si hardie, le moindre esprit la fait sans cesse, sans effort, que dis-je? inévitablement.
Les idées! les idées! elles sont avant tout et précèdent tout dans notre esprit.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [On Voltaire.]
p. 6374When you say: God is just, God is good, what are you doing if not one of the highest and boldest operations of the understanding? You compare God to a model, his being to an ideal nature. You attribute to him a perfection that you conceive, in a sense, outside him, so far does the primitive lie, for the mind, outside existence and in essence alone. And this high operation, this operation so bold, the least of minds performs ceaselessly, without effort—what am I saying? Inevitably.
Ideas! Ideas! They come before everything and precede everything in our mind.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [On Voltaire.] · Entry 3187
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.