because a loving and all-powerful being

因为一个仁慈而又全能的上帝
would not take the lives of half the population of a great city,

是不会带走一座大城市中的半数生命的
indiscriminately killing men, women and children.

不分好坏地杀害男人女人和儿童
So, for some the result

对一些人来说
wasn't an act of atheism

结果不是无神论
but a mute despair that was not articulated;

而是不能用语言表达的无声的绝望
a psychological impact that with historical hindsight

带有历史的后知之明的心理上的影响
we might even call post-traumatic stress.

我们甚至可以称为创伤后的压力
So, plague had a major psychological impact

瘟疫对人类及其死亡率的关系
on the relationship of human beings to their mortality,

以及人类与神的关系
and to their god.

有着重大的心理冲击
Plague had a major impact on the arts and culture.

瘟疫对艺术和文化有重大的影响