And you: The pronoun you is emphatic in Greek, so New English Bible translates “As for you….” The full might of Nebuchadnezzar’s supposed omnipotence is here being focused on the person of Holofernes. In this way the narrator shifts our attention from the king and the royal court to the character who will carry the story forward through chapter 7. At 8.1 Holofernes will lose control of the narrative.

Take care not to transgress any of your sovereign’s commands: Sovereign is the same word as “lord” in 2.5 (see comments there). By not translating this word the same in both places, Revised Standard Version misses a subtle point that the author surely intends. The author ends this speech of the king’s with the keyword “lord” used at the beginning to tie the whole speech together. This repetition also stresses again that Nebuchadnezzar is the “Great King,” the “Supreme Ruler/Master.” As in verse 5, translators may use the first person here: “I am your king, so do not disobey any of my commands.” With this in mind, an alternative translation model for this verse is:

• As for you, Holofernes—do not disobey me in any way. I am your king. Remember that. So go and quickly carry out every command I have given you.

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.