איוב, פרק י״ז, פסוק ז׳

Deep suffering takes a profound toll on both the body and the mind, stripping away a person's life force. Job experiences this severe physical and mental decline, reaching a point where he feels like a dead man who has lost all his vitality [אלשיך].

The physical impact is most evident in his failing sight. His vision has grown blurred and cloudy [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], completely dimmed from endless crying [תקות אנוש]. This partial blindness is driven by a deep sense of anger. Commentators differ on the exact root of this anger. Some suggest it stems from the sheer pain and sadness he feels over his own tragic condition [מצודת דוד, רמב״ן, מלבי״ם]. Others believe this anger is sparked by the constant taunts and teasing from his friends [רמב״ן].

Beyond his failing eyes, Job feels his entire being slipping away, comparing his existence to a mere shadow. The primary approach among commentators is that this refers to his physical body and facial features [רש״י, אבן עזרא, רמב״ן, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ, תקות אנוש]. Like a passing shadow, his body grows weaker, his organs stop working, and he loses all physical substance as he slowly fades away [רמב״ן, מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ, תקות אנוש, אלשיך]. Alternatively, this shadow comparison reflects his inner mental state, representing his thoughts and desires [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רלב״ג]. In this view, the shadow highlights the complete instability of his plans and ambitions. Just as a shadow constantly shifts and moves with the sun, his hopes change constantly and fail to become reality [מצודת דוד].