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.

Explore the Lexicon

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume IIUNDATED · Entry 8247

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

Facing Pages · Branch 4466 of 4529

UNDATED · Entry 8247

Translator notesBook Mode

French

p. 8931

7 (id.)

Ces sortes d’expressions, de mouvemens et de pensées ne naissent que dans les momens où l’organisation est parfaite par l’accord et l’harmonie de toutes les liqueurs et de toutes les fibres. On ne les trouve point sans cela et il est vrai que la réflexion peut disposer à cet état si rare et que j’appellerai bienheureux; et c’est ainsi qu’avec du travail on parvient à faire un bel ouvrage; mais le travail le plus assidu est inutile, si ces momens si rares et si beaux n’arrivent pas.

The Notebooks of Joseph Joubert, Volume II: UNDATED

p. 8932

7 (id.)

These kinds of expressions, movements and thoughts arise only in moments when the organization is perfect through the accord and harmony of all the fluids and all the fibers. One does not find them without this, and it is true that reflection can dispose one to this state, so rare and which I shall call blessed; and thus, with work, one succeeds in making a beautiful work; but the most assiduous work is useless if these moments, so rare and so beautiful, do not come.

T9.All three opening kinds, restrictive only, organic organization, repeated all, reflection’s possibility, first-person future and repeated work remain. Organization refers provisionally to bodily constitution in the fluid/fiber context, not a social organization. Blessed preserves bienheureux without supplying a religious doctrine; the final conditional denies sufficiency to labor alone. French retains mouvemens and momens. Its future j’appellerai is preserved as I shall call, distinct from the later conditional in item 10. English supplies commas after this, state and moments and around with work, and omits the source comma after inutile. Both semicolon boundaries remain. The body is roman; the separate id. label is italic within roman parentheses and supplies no date.

T178.In the French source, item 7 retains italic id. and one long roman paragraph. Mouvemens/momens and the repeated liqueurs/fibres/all relations remain literal. Future j’appellerai is distinct from the later conditional j’appellerois in item 10. The source has no comma after cela, état or momens before their following qualifications; it does have a comma after inutile. Both semicolons, restrictive ne…que, point negative and final conditional remain. Complete right-edge words and all ordinary wraps supply no lexical gaps.

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.