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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Facing Pages · Branch 4263 of 4529
YEAR 1819 · Entry 8044
French
p. 852531 mai.
(In Ginguen.) C’est cette lutte, ce combat contre les difficultés qui rendit fort l’esprit humain. La force naît de l’exercice, et l’exercice de l’obstacle. L’esprit s’en fait des obstacles quand il n’en a pas et qu’il veut se développer. C’est ainsi que les Grecs pour qui le passé étoit une table rase, un sol plat, inventèrent d’abord leur versification, et ensuite leur dialectique, leur rhétorique, c’est à dire des entraves à la raison, à l’esprit et à la parole, pour se rendre l’esprit agile, la raison pénétrante et le style parfait. Les hébreux inventèrent leurs concisions. — Et c’est ainsi que, dans les anciennes républiques, les travaux étant faits par des esclaves, les citoyens pour n’être pas énervés par la mollesse introduisirent la lutte, le ceste, le pugilat. En vantant etc. vous exhortez les esprits à la mollesse, au sibaritisme.
The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: YEAR 1819
p. 8526May 31.
(In Ginguen.) It is this struggle, this combat against difficulties that made the human mind strong. Strength is born of exercise, and exercise of obstacle. The mind makes obstacles for itself when it has none and wishes to develop itself. Thus the Greeks, for whom the past was a blank tablet, a level ground, first invented their versification, and then their dialectic, their rhetoric, that is to say, fetters on reason, on mind and on speech, to make their mind agile, their reason penetrating and their style perfect. The Hebrews invented their concisions. — And thus, in the ancient republics, the work being done by slaves, the citizens, to avoid being enervated by softness, introduced wrestling, the cestus, pugilism. In praising etc. you exhort minds to softness, to sybaritism.
Socrates
Reading The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II · YEAR 1819 · Entry 8044
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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.