Diotimos Library · Journals, Notebooks & Fragments Collection · Bilingual Edition

Joseph Joubert

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II

Name: The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II
Author: Joseph Joubert

Complete Notebooks · French with an independent English translation.

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The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II1812 · Entry 6342

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English Page · Branch 2561 of 4529

1812 · Entry 6342

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 5121

5 mai.

J.-J. Rousseau. La vie sans actions, toute en affections et en pensées demi-sensuelles; fainéantise à prétentions, voluptueuse lâcheté, inutile et paresseuse activité qui engraisse l’âme sans la rendre meilleure, qui donne à la conscience un orgueil bête et à l’esprit l’attitude ridicule d’un bourgeois de Neuf-châtel se croyant roi.

Le bailli suisse de Gesner dans sa vieille tour en ruines. La morgue sur la nullité.

Enfin l’emphase du plus voluptueux coquin qui s’est fait sa philosophie et qui l’expose éloquemment. Le gueux se chauffant au soleil et méprisant délicieusement le genre humain.

Et cet autre fou. Anti-prêtre.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: 1812

p. 5122

May 5.

J.-J. Rousseau. Life without actions, all in affections and half-sensual thoughts; idleness with pretensions, voluptuous cowardice, useless and lazy activity that fattens the soul without making it better, that gives conscience a stupid pride and the mind the ridiculous posture of a burgher of Neuf-châtel believing himself a king.

Gesner’s Swiss bailiff in his old ruined tower. Haughtiness upon nullity.

Finally, the emphasis of the most voluptuous rogue, who has made his philosophy for himself and expounds it eloquently. The beggar warming himself in the sun and deliciously despising the human race.

And that other madman. Anti-priest.

T113.The fragmentary opening, opposed idleness/activity, physical fattening and civic comparison remain. These are Joubert’s judgments; no modern diagnosis or historical episode is supplied. Neuf-châtel and the abbreviated name retain the printed forms.

T449.Four paragraphs remain under the second printed May 5 date. J.-J., Gesner and Neuf-châtel are retained without expansion or familiar-name normalization; the latter has a visible circumflex over a. The hostile nominal characterizations, bodily fattening image, repeated soul/conscience/mind distinctions, final fragment and Anti-prêtre capital/hyphen remain. The ordinary ridicule/philosophie line divisions do not create paragraph breaks or lost text.

T114.Both nominal formulations remain. The relation upon preserves sur rather than replacing it with a causal explanation; no work title or newly identified person is inserted.

T115.The superlative and the two distinct formulations remain. Made his philosophy for himself makes the dative reflexive in s’est fait sa philosophie explicit. Emphasis retains the historical sense of rhetorical pomp used nearby; the source’s criticism and deliciously are not softened or expanded.

T116.The opening And, other and two fragments remain. The unnamed person is not identified from neighboring entries.

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.