Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II
Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.
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French Page · Branch 1389 of 4529
YEAR 1807 · Entry 5170
French
p. 2777Peu d’esprits sont spacieux; peu même ont une place vuide et offrent quelque point vacant. Presque tous ont des capacités étroites et occupées par quelque scavoir qui les bouche. Quel supplice de parler à des têtes pleines, et où rien d’extérieur ne peut entrer! Il faut qu’un bon esprit, pour jouïr de lui même et en laisser jouïr les autres, se conserve toujours plus grand que ses propres pensées. Et pour cela il faut qu’il donne à celles-ci une forme ployante, aisée à resserrer et à étendre, propre enfin à en maintenir la flexibilité naturelle.
Tous ces esprits à vues courtes voyent clair dans leurs petites idées et ne voyent rien dans celles d’autrui, semblables à ces mauvais yeux qui voient de près ce qui est obscur et qui de loin ne peuvent rien appercevoir de ce qui est clair. Esprits de nuit et de ténèbres.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1807
p. 2778Few minds are spacious; few even have an empty place and offer some vacant point. Almost all have narrow capacities occupied by some knowledge that plugs them. What torture to speak to full heads, into which nothing from outside can enter! A good mind, to enjoy itself and let others enjoy it, must always keep itself greater than its own thoughts. And for this it must give them a pliant form, easy to contract and extend, fit, finally, to maintain their natural flexibility.
All those minds with short views see clearly in their little ideas and see nothing in those of others, like those bad eyes that see at close range what is obscure and at a distance can perceive nothing of what is clear. Minds of night and darkness.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · YEAR 1807 · Entry 5170
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 II continues the notebooks and includes seventy undated pieces. 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.