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 1818 · Entry 7974

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Facing Pages · Branch 4193 of 4529

YEAR 1818 · Entry 7974

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 8385

« Etre loué de Dieu lui même », (in [illisible]) Quel but! quelle perspective! quelle espérance! quelle ambition! Et cependant si cette ambition audacieuse est non seulement permise, mais si même elle est un devoir? comme ils le disent : « être loué de Dieu lui-même! » Oh!

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1818

p. 8386

“To be praised by God himself,” (in [illegible]) What a goal! what a prospect! what a hope! what an ambition! And yet, if this bold ambition is not only permitted, but if it is even a duty? as they say: “to be praised by God himself!” Oh!

T242.The two freshly translated quotations, four exclamations, repeated if, not-only/but-even and unanswered question remain. [Illegible] corresponds to the source editor’s [illisible] inside the parenthetic citation, not to a new loss reconstruction. The unspecified they and final Oh stay in the same paragraph. English moves the comma inside the first closing quotation. French retains plain initial Etre but later être, and unhyphenated first lui même but hyphenated later lui-même. Only illisible, and English illegible, are italic; in, the parentheses and both square brackets remain roman. No unreadable citation is expanded.

T450.The initial Etre has a plain capital E; later être retains its circumflex. The first lui même lacks a hyphen, whereas the second lui-même has one. In the French source, the comma follows the first closing guillemet; in and the brackets are roman, while only illisible is italic. The printed [illisible] is the source editor’s marking, not a new transcription gap. Four exclamatory nouns, repeated si, non seulement/mais si même, lowercase comme after the question and final Oh! remain within one paragraph. No author or unreadable citation is guessed. The source specialist’s facsimile collation records the 886 complete dates, literal spellings, five exact italic spans, printed bracket origin, quotation/punctuation limits and complete margins, with all stated individual reading qualifications retained.

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.