A Christmas Carol | Progressively Translated Dutch A1 Books

A Christmas Carol | Progressively Translated Dutch A1 Books

Unlock the potential of this modern translation approach, designed to enhance your language learning experience. By allowing you to choose your difficulty level, it guarantees a personalized challenge that's suited to your progress. This method promotes comprehension by encouraging you to infer the meaning of new words from context, rather than relying heavily on direct translations. Though some translations are obscured to stimulate guessing, it's perfectly fine to consult a dictionary when needed. This technique combines challenge and support, making language learning fun and effective. Explore these translated classics to enjoy literature while advancing your language skills.

STAVEONE.
MARLEY’SGHOST.
Marleywas
dood
dead
:
tobeginwith.
Thereis
geen
no
doubtwhateveraboutthat.
Theregisterofhisburialwas
ondertekend
signed
bytheclergyman,theclerk,theundertaker,
en
and
thechiefmourner.
Scrooge
ondertekend
signed
it:
andScrooge’snamewas
goed
good
upon’Change,foranythinghechosetoputhis
hand
hand
to.
OldMarleywasas
dood
dead
asadoor-nail.
Mind!
Idon’tmeanto
zeggen
say
thatIknow,ofmy
eigen
own
knowledge,whatthereisparticularly
dood
dead
aboutadoor-nail.
Imighthavebeeninclined,myself,toregard
een
a
coffin-nailasthedeadestpieceofironmongeryinthetrade.
Maar
But
thewisdomofourancestorsisin
de
the
simile;
andmyunhallowedhandsshallnotdisturbit,
of
or
theCountry’sdonefor.
You
zult
will
thereforepermitmetorepeat,emphatically,
dat
that
Marleywasasdeadas
een
a
door-nail.
Scroogeknewhewas
dood
dead
?
Ofcoursehedid.
Hoe
How
coulditbeotherwise?
Scrooge
en
and
hewerepartnersforIdon’t
weet
know
howmanyyears.
Scroogewashissoleexecutor,hissoleadministrator,hissoleassign,hissoleresiduarylegatee,hissole
vriend
friend
,andsolemourner.
And
zelfs
even
Scroogewasnotsodreadfully
gesneden
cut
upbythesadevent,
maar
but
thathewasanexcellent
man
man
ofbusinessonthevery
dag
day
ofthefuneral,andsolemnisedit
met
with
anundoubtedbargain.
ThementionofMarley’sfuneral
brengt
brings
mebacktothe
punt
point
Istartedfrom.
Thereis
geen
no
doubtthatMarleywas
dood
dead
.
Thismustbedistinctly
begrepen
understood
,ornothingwonderfulcan
komen
come
ofthestoryIam
ga
going
torelate.
IfwewerenotperfectlyconvincedthatHamlet’s
Vader
Father
diedbeforetheplaybegan,
er
there
wouldbenothingmoreremarkableinhis
nemen
taking
astrollatnight,inaneasterlywind,uponhis
eigen
own
ramparts,thantherewouldbeinany
andere
other
middle-agedgentlemanrashlyturningout
na
after
darkinabreezyspot—saySaintPaul’sChurchyardforinstance—literallytoastonishhisson’sweak
geest
mind
.
ScroogeneverpaintedoutOldMarley’s
naam
name
.
Thereitstood,yearsafterwards,abovethewarehouse
deur
door
:
ScroogeandMarley.
ThefirmwasknownasScrooge
en
and
Marley.
Sometimespeoplenewtothebusiness
noemden
called
ScroogeScrooge,andsometimesMarley,
maar
but
heansweredtobothnames.
Itwasallthe
hetzelfde
same
tohim.
Oh!
Buthewas
een
a
tight-fistedhandatthegrindstone,Scrooge!
een
a
squeezing,wrenching,grasping,scraping,clutching,covetous,
oude
old
sinner!
Hardandsharpasflint,fromwhich
geen
no
steelhadeverstruckoutgenerous
vuur
fire
;
secret,andself-contained,andsolitaryas
een
an
oyster.
Thecoldwithinhimfrozehis
oude
old
features,nippedhispointednose,shrivelledhischeek,stiffenedhisgait;
maakte
made
hiseyesred,histhinlipsblue;
en
and
spokeoutshrewdlyinhisgratingvoice.
Een
A
frostyrimewasonhis
hoofd
head
,andonhiseyebrows,
en
and
hiswirychin.
Hecarriedhis
eigen
own
lowtemperaturealwaysaboutwithhim;
heicedhis
kantoor
office
inthedog-days;
anddidn’tthawitonedegreeatChristmas.
Externalheat
en
and
coldhadlittleinfluenceonScrooge.
Geen
No
warmthcouldwarm,nowintryweatherchill
hem
him
.
Nowindthatblewwasbitterer
dan
than
he,nofallingsnowwas
meer
more
intentuponitspurpose,
geen
no
peltingrainlessopentoentreaty.
Foulweatherdidn’t
wist
know
wheretohavehim.
Theheaviestrain,
en
and
snow,andhail,andsleet,
kon
could
boastoftheadvantage
over
over
himinonlyonerespect.
Theyoften“camedown”handsomely,
en
and
Scroogeneverdid.
Nobodyever
stopte
stopped
himinthestreetto
zeggen
say
,withgladsomelooks,“My
beste
dear
Scrooge,howareyou?
Wanneer
When
willyoucometoseeme?”
Geen
No
beggarsimploredhimtobestow
een
a
trifle,nochildrenaskedhimwhatitwaso’clock,
geen
no
manorwomaneveronceinallhis
leven
life
inquiredthewaytosuch
en
and
suchaplace,ofScrooge.
Zelfs
Even
theblindmen’sdogsappearedto
kennen
know
him;
andwhenthey
zagen
saw
himcomingon,wouldtugtheirownersintodoorways
en
and
upcourts;
andthenwouldwagtheirtailsasthoughtheysaid,“Noeyeatallis
beter
better
thananevileye,darkmaster!”
Maar
But
whatdidScroogecare!
Itwasthevery
wat
thing
heliked.
Toedgehis
weg
way
alongthecrowdedpathsof
leven
life
,warningallhumansympathyto
houden
keep
itsdistance,waswhattheknowingones
noemen
call
“nuts”toScrooge.
Onceupon
een
a
time—ofallthegooddaysinthe
jaar
year
,onChristmasEve—oldScrooge
zat
sat
busyinhiscounting-house.
Itwas
koud
cold
,bleak,bitingweather:
foggywithal:
en
and
hecouldhearthe
mensen
people
inthecourtoutside,gowheezingup
en
and
down,beatingtheirhandsupontheirbreasts,
en
and
stampingtheirfeetuponthepavementstonestowarm
ze
them
.
Thecityclockshadonlyjustgone
drie
three
,butitwasquitedarkalready—it
hadden
had
notbeenlightallday—andcandleswereflaringinthewindowsoftheneighbouringoffices,
als
like
ruddysmearsuponthepalpablebrown
lucht
air
.
Thefogcamepouringinat
elk
every
chinkandkeyhole,andwassodensewithout,
dat
that
althoughthecourtwasof
de
the
narrowest,thehousesoppositeweremerephantoms.
To
zien
see
thedingycloudcomedroopingdown,obscuring
alles
everything
,onemighthavethought
dat
that
Naturelivedhardby,
en
and
wasbrewingonalargescale.
The
deur
door
ofScrooge’scounting-housewas
open
open
thathemightkeephiseyeuponhisclerk,whoin
een
a
dismallittlecellbeyond,
een
a
sortoftank,wascopyingletters.
Scrooge
had
had
averysmallfire,
maar
but
theclerk’sfirewasso
heel
very
muchsmallerthatitlooked
als
like
onecoal.
Buthecouldn’treplenishit,forScrooge
hield
kept
thecoal-boxinhis
eigen
own
room;
andsosurelyastheclerkcamein
met
with
theshovel,themasterpredicted
dat
that
itwouldbenecessaryforthemtopart.
Wherefore
de
the
clerkputonhis
witte
white
comforter,andtriedtowarmhimselfat
de
the
candle;
inwhicheffort,notbeing
een
a
manofastrongimagination,hefailed.
“AmerryChristmas,
oom
uncle
!
Godsaveyou!”
cried
een
a
cheerfulvoice.
ItwasthevoiceofScrooge’snephew,who
kwam
came
uponhimsoquicklythat
dit
this
wasthefirstintimationhe
had
had
ofhisapproach.
“Bah!”
zei
said
Scrooge,“Humbug!”
Hehadsoheatedhimself
met
with
rapidwalkinginthefog
en
and
frost,thisnephewofScrooge’s,
dat
that
hewasallin
een
a
glow;
hisfacewasruddy
en
and
handsome;
hiseyessparkled,
en
and
hisbreathsmokedagain.
“Christmas
een
a
humbug,uncle!”
saidScrooge’snephew.
“Youdon’t
bedoelt
mean
that,Iamsure?”
“Ido,”
zei
said
Scrooge.
“MerryChristmas!
What
recht
right
haveyoutobemerry?
What
reden
reason
haveyoutobemerry?
You’repoorenough.”
“Come,then,”returned
de
the
nephewgaily.
“Whatright
heb
have
youtobedismal?
Whatreasonhaveyoutobemorose?
You’rerichenough.”
Scrooge
had
having
nobetteranswerreadyon
het
the
spurofthemoment,
zei
said
,“Bah!”
again;
andfolloweditup
met
with
“Humbug.”
“Don’tbecross,uncle!”
zei
said
thenephew.
“Whatelse
kan
can
Ibe,”returnedthe
oom
uncle
,“whenIliveinsucha
wereld
world
offoolsasthis?
MerryChristmas!
OutuponmerryChristmas!
What’sChristmas
tijd
time
toyoubuta
tijd
time
forpayingbillswithout
geld
money
;
atimeforfindingyourselfa
jaar
year
older,butnotan
uur
hour
richer;
atimeforbalancingyour
boeken
books
andhavingeveryitemin’em
door
through
arounddozenofmonthspresented
dood
dead
againstyou?
IfI
kon
could
workmywill,”saidScroogeindignantly,“everyidiot
die
who
goesaboutwith‘MerryChristmas’onhislips,
moeten
should
beboiledwithhis
eigen
own
pudding,andburiedwith
een
a
stakeofhollythroughhis
hart
heart
.
Heshould!”
“Uncle!”
pleaded
de
the
nephew.
“Nephew!”
returnedthe
oom
uncle
sternly,“keepChristmasinyour
eigen
own
way,andletmekeepitinmine.”
“Keepit!”
repeatedScrooge’snephew.
“Butyoudon’t
houdt
keep
it.”
“Letmeleaveit
rust
alone
,then,”saidScrooge.
“Muchgoodmayit
doen
do
you!
Muchgoodit
heeft
has
everdoneyou!”
“Thereare
veel
many
thingsfromwhichI
kunnen
might
havederivedgood,bywhichIhavenotprofited,Idaresay,”returned
de
the
nephew.
“Christmasamongthe
rest
rest
.
ButIamsureI
heb
have
alwaysthoughtofChristmas
tijd
time
,whenithascomeround—apartfrom
de
the
venerationduetoitssacred
naam
name
andorigin,ifanythingbelongingtoit
kan
can
beapartfromthat—as
een
a
goodtime;
akind,forgiving,charitable,pleasant
tijd
time
;
theonlytimeI
ken
know
of,inthelongcalendarofthe
jaar
year
,whenmenandwomenseemby
een
one
consenttoopentheirshut-upheartsfreely,
en
and
tothinkofpeoplebelowthemasifthey
echt
really
werefellow-passengerstothegrave,
en
and
notanotherraceofcreaturesboundonotherjourneys.
En
And
therefore,uncle,thoughit
heeft
has
neverputascrapofgold
of
or
silverinmypocket,I
geloof
believe
thatithasdoneme
goed
good
,andwilldome
goed
good
;
andIsay,Godblessit!”
De
The
clerkintheTankinvoluntarilyapplauded.
Werd
Becoming
immediatelysensibleoftheimpropriety,hepokedthe
vuur
fire
,andextinguishedthelastfrailsparkforever.
“Letmehearanother
geluid
sound
fromyou,”saidScrooge,“andyou’ll
houdt
keep
yourChristmasbylosingyoursituation!
You’requite
een
a
powerfulspeaker,sir,”headded,turningtohisnephew.
“Iwonderyoudon’t
gaat
go
intoParliament.”
“Don’tbeangry,
oom
uncle
.
Come!
Dinewithusto-morrow.”
Scrooge
zei
said
thathewouldseehim—yes,indeedhe
deed
did
.
Hewentthewholelengthof
de
the
expression,andsaidthathe
zou
would
seehiminthatextremity
eerst
first
.
“Butwhy?”
criedScrooge’snephew.
“Why?”
“Whydidyougetmarried?”
zei
said
Scrooge.
“BecauseIfellinlove.”
“Becauseyoufellinlove!”
growledScrooge,asif
dat
that
weretheonlyonethinginthe
wereld
world
moreridiculousthanamerryChristmas.
“Goodafternoon!”
“Nay,
oom
uncle
,butyounevercametoseemebefore
dat
that
happened.
Whygiveitasa
reden
reason
fornotcomingnow?”
“Goodafternoon,”
zei
said
Scrooge.
“Iwantnothingfromyou;
I
vraag
ask
nothingofyou;
whycannotwebefriends?”
“Goodafternoon,”
zei
said
Scrooge.
“Iamsorry,withallmyheart,tofindyousoresolute.
We
hebben
have
neverhadanyquarrel,towhichI
hebben
have
beenaparty.
ButI
heb
have
madethetrialinhomagetoChristmas,
en
and
I’llkeepmyChristmashumourto
het
the
last.
SoAMerryChristmas,uncle!”
“Goodafternoon!”
zei
said
Scrooge.
“AndAHappy
Nieuw
New
Year!”
“Goodafternoon!”
saidScrooge.
Hisnephew
verliet
left
theroomwithoutanangry
woord
word
,notwithstanding.
Hestoppedattheouterdoortobestowthegreetingsoftheseasonontheclerk,
die
who
,coldashewas,waswarmer
dan
than
Scrooge;
forhereturnedthemcordially.
“There’sanotherfellow,”mutteredScrooge;
die
who
overheardhim:
“myclerk,
met
with
fifteenshillingsaweek,
en
and
awifeandfamily,
praten
talking
aboutamerryChristmas.
I’llretiretoBedlam.”
Deze
This
lunatic,inlettingScrooge’snephewout,
had
had
lettwootherpeople
in
in
.Theywereportlygentlemen,pleasanttobehold,
en
and
nowstood,withtheirhatsoff,inScrooge’s
kantoor
office
.
Theyhadbooksandpapersintheirhands,
en
and
bowedtohim.
“Scrooge
en
and
Marley’s,Ibelieve,”said
een
one
ofthegentlemen,referringtohislist.
“HaveI
het
the
pleasureofaddressingMr.Scrooge,
of
or
Mr.Marley?”
“Mr.
Marleyhasbeen
dood
dead
thesesevenyears,”Scroogereplied.
“He
stierf
died
sevenyearsago,thisverynight.”
“Wehavenodoubthisliberalityis
goed
well
representedbyhissurvivingpartner,”
zei
said
thegentleman,presentinghiscredentials.
Itcertainlywas;
fortheyhadbeen
twee
two
kindredspirits.
Attheominous
woord
word
“liberality,”Scroogefrowned,andshookhis
hoofd
head
,andhandedthecredentials
terug
back
.
“Atthisfestiveseasonofthe
jaar
year
,Mr.Scrooge,”saidthegentleman,
nam
taking
upapen,“itis
meer
more
thanusuallydesirablethatweshould
maken
make
someslightprovisionforthePoor
en
and
destitute,whosuffergreatlyatthepresent
moment
time
.
Manythousandsareinwantofcommonnecessaries;
hundredsofthousandsareinwantofcommoncomforts,sir.”
“Are
er
there
noprisons?”
askedScrooge.
“Plentyofprisons,”
zei
said
thegentleman,layingdown
de
the
penagain.
“AndtheUnionworkhouses?”
demandedScrooge.
“Arethey
nog steeds
still
inoperation?”
“Theyare.
Still,”returned
de
the
gentleman,“IwishI
kon
could
saytheywerenot.”
“TheTreadmill
en
and
thePoorLawareinfullvigour,then?”
zei
said
Scrooge.
“Bothverybusy,sir.”
“Oh!
Iwas
bang
afraid
,fromwhatyousaidatfirst,
dat
that
somethinghadoccurredto
stoppen
stop
themintheirusefulcourse,”
zei
said
Scrooge.
“I’mverygladto
horen
hear
it.”
“Undertheimpression
dat
that
theyscarcelyfurnishChristiancheerof
geest
mind
orbodytothemultitude,”returned
de
the
gentleman,“afewofusareendeavouringtoraise
een
a
fundtobuythePoorsomemeat
en
and
drink,andmeansofwarmth.
Wechoose
deze
this
time,becauseitis
een
a
time,ofallothers,
wanneer
when
Wantiskeenlyfelt,
en
and
Abundancerejoices.
WhatshallIputyoudownfor?”
“Nothing!”
Scroogereplied.
“You
wilt
wish
tobeanonymous?”
“I
wil
wish
tobeleftalone,”
zei
said
Scrooge.
“SinceyouaskmewhatI
wil
wish
,gentlemen,thatismy
antwoord
answer
.