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 IIYEAR 1815 · Entry 7412

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French Page · Branch 3631 of 4529

YEAR 1815 · Entry 7412

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 7261

La vérité. I. La paitrir, la mouler et lui imprimer une forme. II. N’en […]xtraire que la lumière (l’essence) et la rendre impalpable (et peut-[…]tre par cela même inaltérable). III. Se borner à sa simple énoncia[…]ion, et en tirer les conséquences.

La première manière la contient toute avec ses efficacités. La […]econde la conserve. La troisième en introduit dans la vie quelques […]ons effets, mais ne la fait pas voir, et par conséquent la laisse igno[…]er : on la suit alors en aveugle.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1815

p. 7262

Truth. I. To knead it, mold it and impress a form upon it. II. To [extract] from it only the light (the essence) and make it impalpable (and [perhaps], by that very fact, unalterable). III. To confine oneself to its simple [statement], and draw the consequences.

The first manner contains it whole, with its efficacies. The [second] preserves it. The third introduces some [good] effects of it into life, but does not make it seen and consequently leaves it [unknown]: one then follows it as a blind person.

T244.The opening noun and all three inline Roman numerals remain in one paragraph across 832–833. Kneading/molding/impressing, restrictive extraction and statement/consequences retain their distinct actions. Both explanatory parentheses, perhaps and the causal by-that-very-fact relation remain. Knead renders the literal printed paitrir without emending French. [Extract], [perhaps] and [statement] contextually complete […]xtraire, peut-[…]tre and énoncia[…]ion; the partial French words remain damaged. No new numbered paragraph or completed argument is invented.

T602.Two paragraphs remain one unit across 832/833. Roman I/II/III occur inline within the first paragraph, not as three new paragraphs. Original-size color reads literal paitrir with ai. The printed end of 832 retains N’en; the small adjacent blot does not certify lexical punctuation, so no hyphen is added between en and the following damaged verb. At 833 only xtraire, tre after peut-, ion after énoncia-, econde, ons and er after igno- are complete. The incomplete e/ê/t/s/b/r components remain explicit losses. The lexical hyphen in peut- is retained before the loss; ordinary word-wrap hyphens elsewhere are removed only when joining the retained word parts. La première is a separately indented second paragraph with a qualified intact initial L. All three methods, the repeated pronouns, toute, plural efficacités, quelques, negative ne...pas, consequence and final blind following remain. The bounded independent comparison agrees with the six margin limits and named new 832 code/spelling/type targets, retaining all contour qualifications and excluding new 833 units.

T245.All three manner references and whole/some distinction remain. Efficacies preserves the unusual plural efficacités rather than reducing it to a single abstract effectiveness. The third manner’s negative seeing clause, consequent ignorance and blind following remain. It continues to refer to truth; this is a separate explanatory paragraph within the same unit. [Second] and [good] contextually complete […]econde and […]ons. [Unknown] is a broader adjectival counterpart to the damaged French verb igno[…]er; it does not certify its lost letter. All six losses occur on the continuation page 833.

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.