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 3508 of 3781
[Malebranche.] · Entry 3508
French
p. 7015« A cinq ou six pas de nous ». Il semble que c’étoit là, d’après son observation, la distance à laquelle presque tous les objets naturels cessent de nous être dangereux. Quant aux objets inventés, les inventions nous en préservent et il me revient en mémoire que l’invention de la poudre à canon (par exemple) et celle des verres d’optique ont à peu près la même datte.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I: [Malebranche.]
p. 7016“Five or six paces from us.” It seems that, according to his observation, this was the distance at which almost all natural objects cease to be dangerous to us. As for invented objects, inventions protect us from them, and it comes back to my memory that the invention of gunpowder (for example) and that of optical lenses have approximately the same date.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume I · [Malebranche.] · Entry 3508
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.