And even now: In some languages this phrase may be combined with the clause I would never have lifted …; for example, “I would not have had my army march against your people now if they had not….”

If your people who live in the hill country had not slighted me: For hill country see 2.22. Rather than slighted or “insulted” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version), the meaning of the Greek is “not taken me lightly,” “taken me seriously,” or “shown me more respect.” So this first clause may also be expressed as “If your people who live up in the hill country had shown me more respect.”

I would never have lifted my spear against them is obviously an idiom for taking military action against them. Good News Translation‘s “declared war against them” is not quite on target. It was really Nebuchadnezzar who declared war (2.5-12) in his position as head of state. Holofernes is carrying out his orders. Something like “I would not have taken action against them/marched against them” would be appropriate. One must be cautious not to overstate the case here. Holofernes has not actually attacked the Israelites yet, and has not yet harmed any of them. He is besieging the town and waiting them out.

They have brought all this on themselves (similarly Good News Translation) is a natural English idiom favored by most translations, although “all this … is their own fault” (Contemporary English Version) is another possibility. The Greek literally says “they have done these things to themselves.” It is interesting that Holofernes begins protesting his innocence before Judith has spoken a word. He has been told, of course, what she told the soldiers in the valley (10.11-13, 18), but a real man wants to be on the good side of a woman this beautiful, particularly when an occasion like this presents itself.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• I wouldn’t now have my soldiers march against your people in the hill country if they had shown me more respect. All this trouble is their own fault.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Judith. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.