Translation commentary on Judith 12:12

The first person plural pronouns refer to Holofernes himself, as was mentioned in the previous verse.

It will be a disgrace if we may be rendered “I would be ashamed if…” or “I would lose face if….”

Enjoying her company … embrace her: Here Holofernes’ ambitions become clear. Both terms here refer to sexual intercourse. The first of these verbs is used of intercourse in Dan 13.54 (in Catholic Bibles; Sus 54 in Protestant Apocrypha). The second verb can actually refer to rape, although Holofernes clearly has in mind seducing Judith into willing cooperation, rather than forcing her. Good News Translation captures the mood pretty well, without becoming actually coarse. A bit of crudeness would not be out of order here if it won’t offend readers. Contemporary English Version is quite explicit with “It would be a shame not to sleep with such a beautiful woman.”

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.