By this time the people of Israel living in Judea heard …: Verses 1 and 2 are independent sentences in the Greek text. Each is introduced by “and.” Virtually all translations connect the two by making verse 1 a subordinate clause introduced by “when.” So it is possible to translate “When the Israelites living in Judah heard that….” Revised Standard Version keeps the two sentences independent by beginning with the phrase By this time. This phrase really works pretty well, except that the verse is introducing a new chapter and hearers or readers may not remember what this time refers to. One way to avoid misunderstanding is to refer back to information at the end of chapter 3; for example, “By the time Holofernes and his soldiers were camped between Geba and Scythopolis, the people of Israel living in Judah heard….”

The reference to Israel is strange here, so Good News Translation omits it. The author writes during the time when only the tribe of Judah had returned from exile, but he is imaginatively reconstructing a reunited Israel. Moore suggests with good reason that “children of Israel” here is simply an archaic usage. The focus is certainly to be on Judea.

Had done to the nations: The term used for nations is the word often translated “Gentiles.” There is no doubt that here it translates the Hebrew word used for the non-Israelite world. Good News Translation uses “other nations” to get this across without the technicality of the word “Gentile.”

How he has plundered: Plundered means “forcibly took everything of value [or, all their valued possessions].” See 1.14.

Destroyed all their temples: Temples may be also rendered “places where they worshiped their gods.”

It is possible to reorder this verse as follows:

• When the people [of Israel] living in Judah heard that Holofernes the commander of King Nebuchadnezzar’s soldiers had destroyed all the places where the peoples of the surrounding nations worshiped their gods, and had taken everything of value….

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.

At this point Achior’s speech goes off in another direction (compare 5.17). He has completed the historical survey and is about to draw practical conclusions, but he does not actually answer Holofernes’ questions (5.3-4). The connector Now therefore shows that he has completed his summary and is now giving Holofernes advice on a plan of action. His words in verses 21-22 are preparing the ground for Holofernes to be deceived by Judith’s plan in 11.11-19.

My master and lord: For lord compare 5.5. Here Achior uses two terms of submission in speaking to his superior, so Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version‘s single use of “Sir” is weak. Achior needs to show submission; he has just spoken some words that may not be welcome to Holofernes, and now he is going to be so presumptuous as to offer some advice. He is even going to hint that the Israelite God is more powerful than Nebuchadnezzar. He must be very careful. The two nouns could be forcefully represented by a noun and adjective; for example, “my imperial lord” or “my sovereign master.” Revised English Bible has “my sovereign lord.”

If there is any unwitting error in this people and they sin against their God and we find out their offense: Achior seems to believe that the Israelites are not going to be so stupid as to sin intentionally. They will have to be caught in an unwitting error, that is, “unintentional sin.” Unwitting error is one word in Greek. It is used in Tob 3.3 along with the word for intentional sins. If there is any unwitting error in this people may also be rendered “even if they have sinned against him without realizing it.” The word offense is the Greek word skandalon used in 5.1. In 5.1 it was translated “barricade,” but here it is used figuratively as a reference to sin that causes stumbling. Error, sin, and offense have no significant difference in meaning; they all refer to a single evil action, which, according to Achior, may or may not happen.

We will go up and defeat them: Go up refers to going into the hill country from the coastal plain. Defeat them is literally “attack them.” The idea of a successful attack is only implied, but it is clearly meant. The author has not prepared the reader for Achior to use the pronoun we in speaking of a prospective attack on Israel. Achior is an Ammonite, and supposedly fell under Nebuchadnezzar’s condemnation in 1.12. Presumably Achior and the other leaders mentioned in 5.2 were among those who sued for peace in 2.28-3.5, although this is never specifically said.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Therefore, my Master, if these people are unintentionally sinning against their god and we can find out that they have actually committed an offense against him, then we can attack and defeat them.

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.

Therefore, my lord: Literally, the direct address is not my lord, but simply “lord.” It is the same word used in verse 9. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version handle it better here with “General Holofernes” instead of “Sir.”

Do not fight against them in battle array: The speakers urge Holofernes not to attempt to attack Bethulia according to conventional warfare, that is, in battle array, “in regular formation” (New American Bible), “in pitched battle” (New Jerusalem Bible and others), “direct attack” (Good News Translation).

Not a man of your army will fall may be rendered “not one of your soldiers will be killed.”

An alternative translation model for this verse using an “if” clause is the following:

• So, General Holofernes, if you order your soldiers to attack Bethulia as they would attack any other town, some of them will be killed.

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.

They came to her, and she said to them may be rendered “When the officials/leaders arrived, Judith said to them.”

Listen to me, rulers of the people of Bethulia: The overriding translation problem in the rest of chapter 8 has to do with information not explicit in the Greek text—the social relation of Judith to the three elders, and the attitude of each to the other. Even in English, Listen to me, rulers of the people of Bethulia sounds defiant and challenging, and “Please listen to me…” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) sounds submissive. Some languages are more sensitive to this kind of thing than others, but all translators must communicate some kind of interpersonal dynamic here. This much guidance can be had from the text: Judith and the elders are respectful of one another. She admonishes them, yes, but with reasoning. She does not talk down to them. When she uses the word “we/us/our,” she includes herself and her three listeners with the body of all Israelites. Uzziah’s reply to Judith in verses 28-31 is, as Alonso-Schökel (1988) points out, ambiguous in tone. It can be understood as talking down to Judith: “With all due respect, you don’t understand. You run along and pray for rain, and we’ll do what we have to do.” More likely, however, Uzziah is sincere and is honestly asking help from this woman whom everyone respects (see 8.8). Although Uzziah and the other two are town officials and Judith is technically only a citizen, she has earned such a reputation that the men, at least in private, may address her as an equal. Whether she presumes to address them as their equal is another matter, but the content of her speech would suggest as much.

For rulers of the people of Bethulia, Good News Translation has “You are the leaders of the people of Bethulia….” This sounds a bit condescending, but it avoids making a direct address of rulers of … Bethulia, which is awkward in English. Contemporary English Version‘s translation is more respectful: “I realize that you are the leaders of Bethulia, but please listen to me.” This is better.

What you have said today is not right; you have even sworn and pronounced this oath between God and you: You have even sworn and pronounced this oath between God and you is literally “You [plural] have stood this oath which you have spoken between God and you.” “Between God and you” apparently modifies “stood,” not “spoken.” The meaning seems to be that the oath (although no oath is mentioned in 7.29-31) now interferes with relations between God and the elders since it tests God which is improper. This idea comes out in New Jerusalem Bible: “You were wrong to speak to the people as you did today and to bind yourself [yourselves] by oath, in defiance of God….” The idea is not that the oath was made “before God” (Good News Translation), but that it now stands between God and the town—it defies God. A rewording could be “… you were wrong to speak to the people as you did today. You have defied God by making a solemn promise that you would….”

Promising to surrender … unless the Lord turns and helps us within so many days: Turns and helps us is literally “turns to your aid”; notice that it is “your,” not “our.” Changing it to “our/us” may change the tone of the text. Judith is making a point that borders on sarcasm: “You have promised to surrender the city to our enemies unless the Lord comes to your aid in a few days.” This sarcasm continues into the next verse with its tone of “Who do you think you are, anyway?” Within so many days is literally “in them,” that is, “within the time limit you set.” Good News Translation‘s “within a few days” captures the right tone.

An alternative model for this verse is:

• They came to her, and she said to them, “I realize that you are the leaders of Bethulia, but please listen to me. You were wrong to speak to the people as you did today. You have defied God by making a solemn promise to surrender the city to our enemies unless the Lord decides to help you out within a few days.”

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.

Behold their pride: Good News Translation has “Look how proud and boastful they are!” Here Good News Translation expands rather than combines information, presumably to be sure of imparting a negative connotation to “proud.” Another way to say this is “See how arrogant [or, proud] those Assyrians are.”

Send thy wrath upon their heads is another reference to the song of Moses. Exo 15.7 in Greek reads “you sent your wrath.” Thy wrath includes not only God’s “anger,” as in the previous verse, but also the added dimension of “destruction.” An alternative model for send thy wrath upon their heads is “You are angry, so destroy them [their heads].” Their heads is simply an idiom for “them.”

Give to me … the strength …: Good News Translation has “give me the strength.” This is literally “give/put in my hand strength.” Not even Revised Standard Version uses the literal figure of “hand” here. New Revised Standard Version keeps it with “Give to me, a widow, the strong hand to do what I plan.” See the note at 8.33 on the use of this word in Judith.

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.

There are two simultaneous scenes in this verse. Judith, in her own tent, dresses herself and prepares for the dinner while her maid (see the note on 8.10) goes to Holofernes’ tent to prepare for Judith’s arrival. Judith does not enter Holofernes’ tent until the next verse. Compare New American Bible “Meanwhile her maid went ahead…” or Good News Translation “Her slave woman went ahead of her….”

Arrayed herself in all her woman’s finery: “Prettiest clothes” (Good News Translation) is not quite the focus of the Greek, but it is only a slight shift of focus. Not only “clothes” are included, but also any kind of accessories, such as pins, bracelets, and necklaces. Also, “prettiest” is not so much the point as that they are “feminine.” An alternative translation model is “she put on all the things that would make her beautiful.”

Spread on the ground for her before Holofernes the soft fleeces: The soft fleeces would have been “lamb skins” (Good News Translation). They give a further touch of color to the story, adding to the vividness of the scene the author is constructing. In some languages soft fleeces will need to be rendered “skins of young sheep.” However, in cultures where sheep are unknown, one may simply say “soft animal skins.” The maid lays the fleeces before Holofernes. In the context it is better to say “beside Holofernes.” That’s presumably where Judith will recline at the meal.

Which she had received from Bagoas for her daily use: There may be a translation problem here since the fleeces are introduced out of narrative order. We are not told until the maid rolls out the lambskins that Bagoas had earlier given them to Judith for use in her own tent. Though this is introduced as old information, it is actually the first we have heard of it. Bagoas would probably have given Judith her provisions in the events of verse 5, but even he is not introduced until verse 11. The translator can do nothing more than ease the problem. Good News Translation could be modified: “some lamb skins that Bagoas had given…” or “lamb skins” without the article “the.”

So that she might recline on them when she ate: She refers to Judith, not the maid mentioned earlier in the verse.

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.

Now tell me what you have done during these days is closer to the wording of the Greek than Good News Translation‘s “Please tell me how you managed to do this,” but Good News Translation‘s request asks for precisely the information Achior wants.

Then Judith described to him in the presence of the people …: This sentence should begin a new paragraph, as in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. For in the presence of the people, Good News Translation has “While all the people were gathered around.” This is a smoother translation. It says what the Greek says, and says it very well.

The day she left may be rendered “the day she left Bethulia.”

Until the moment of her speaking to them may be translated “until she returned and told them what had happened.”

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.