To protect the sheep
at night, the shepherd would lead his flock
into a walled enclosure are protected by thorns
to prevent wild animals and thieves from climbing over. Sometimes a wild
animal driven by hunger would leap over the walls
into the midst of the sheep. Such a situation separated
the true shepherd, one who loves his sheep,
from the hireling, who worked only for
pay or out of duty. The true shepherd was willing
to give his life for the sheep.