C.S. Lewis opensThe Problem of Painwith a questionthat resonates deeply—a question I once asked myself, a question my son raisedat the young age of 10 or 11, and one frequently echoed in movies and TV showslikeHouse of Cards.The question is this:If God were good, He would want His creatures to be perfectly happy, and if He were almighty, He would be able to make them so. Yet, we live in a world filled with pain and suffering.In other words,if God is both good and all-powerful, why does pain persist?
C.S.路易斯在《痛苦的奥秘》的开篇提出了一个深刻的问题——一个我曾问过自己、我儿子在10-11岁时也曾提出的问题，也是《纸牌屋》等许多电影和电视剧中常常回响的问题：如果上帝是良善的，祂会希望祂的创造物完全幸福；如果祂是全能的，祂能够使这一切成为现实。然而，我们却生活在一个充满痛苦和苦难的世界里。换句话说，如果上帝既良善又全能，为什么痛苦仍然存在？
In this book, C.S. Lewis devotes nine chapters to unpackthis profound question, examining it from various angles. 在这本书中，C.S.路易斯十个章节来深入探讨这个深奥的问题，从多个角度加以剖析和解答。
Divine Omnipotence 神圣的全能
Lewis defines omnipotence as "the power to do all thatis intrinsically possible"—not the power to do what is intrinsicallyimpossible. This means that while God is all-powerful, His power operateswithin the realm of what can logically exist or occur.
路易斯将全能定义为“能够完成所有本质上可能的事情”，而不是能够完成那些本质上不可能的事情。这意味着，尽管上帝是全能的，但祂的能力是在逻辑上可以存在或发生的范围内运作的。
Divine Goodness 神圣的良善
God’s moral judgment, Lewis explains, isn’t just differentfrom ours in a way that our “black” could be His “white.” Instead, His goodnessis fundamentally superior. Lewis makes an important distinction between loveand kindness : while kindness would simply wish for the absence of pain, love,for God, is not mere kindness; it seeks the ultimate good for the beloved, evenif that path includes pain and suffering. This is because genuine love careswhether the loved one becomes good or not, and sometimes, pain is necessary toachieve that transformation. 路易斯解释说，上帝的道德判断并非仅仅与我们的不同，比如我们的“黑”可能是祂的“白”。相反，祂的良善是本质上更加卓越的。路易斯在书中对“爱”和“仁慈”作了一个重要区分：仁慈只是希望痛苦的缺席，而爱（对于上帝来说）不仅仅是仁慈；它追求所爱之人的终极益处，即便那条路可能包含痛苦和苦难。
这是因为爱的真正意义在意所爱之人是否成为良善之人，而有时候，痛苦是实现这一转变所必需的途径。
Human Free Will 人类的自由意志
Lewis discusses how free will is essential for genuine love and moral choice,and that with freedom comes the possibility of choosing wrongly, which leads topain and suffering. He argues that God allows human freedom even though itopens the door to pain. 路易斯探讨了自由意志对于真正的爱和道德选择的必要性。他指出，自由意志带来了选择错误的可能性，从而导致痛苦和苦难。他认为，上帝允许人类拥有自由意志，即使这会打开通往痛苦的大门。
The Nature of Suffering痛苦的本质
Lewis emphasizes that suffering can have a transformativerole, pushing people to seek God and personal growth. Pain acts as a tool or"megaphone" for God to reach us, especially in times when we mightotherwise ignore Him. 路易斯强调，痛苦可以起到一种转化的作用，促使人们寻求上帝并实现个人成长。他将痛苦视为一种工具或“扩音器”，让上帝能够在我们可能忽略祂的时刻触及我们的内心。
The Concept of a Fallen World 堕落世界的概念
Lewis addresses the idea that humanity’s fall from gracefundamentally changed the world, making it subject to decay and suffering.Pain, in this context, is partly a consequence of the world’s fallen state.路易斯探讨了人类堕落这一观念，认为这一罪的堕落从根本上改变了世界，使其陷入衰败和苦难之中。在这种语境下，痛苦在一定程度上是世界堕落状态的结果。
Heaven as a Resolution 天堂作为终极救赎
Lewis concludes that the existence of heaven promises anultimate resolution to earthly suffering. Heaven, for Lewis, is the fulfillmentof God’s ultimate good, transcending the temporary pain we experience in thislife. 路易斯总结说，天堂的存在预示着对世间苦难的终极救赎。在他看来，天堂是上帝至善的最终实现，超越了我们在今生所经历的短暂痛苦。
Mystery of Divine Will 神圣意志的奥秘
He also reflects on the limits of human understanding when it comes to divinewill. Not all aspects of pain and suffering can be fully understood by humans,and part of faith is trusting that God’s plan is ultimately good.路易斯还反思了人类在理解神圣意志时的局限性。他指出，痛苦和苦难的许多层面并非人类能够完全明白。信仰的一部分在于相信上帝的计划最终是良善的。
