In the days when Herod was king in Judea, there lived in the city of David, which Is Bethlehem, a rich young man who, wearying of the emptiness of life, passed his nights and days in idleness and vain carousing. And it came to pass one evening after that he had drunken deep, he left his companions at their feast and came forth upon the streets, meaning to go to his home. Now in those days, Bethlehem was filled with wickedness of divers sorts, and robbers prowled about the streets by night. One of these coming upon the young man, called his companions, and they set on him, and beat him, and after they had stripped him of his wealth, dragged him without the walls of the city, and left him. It chanced that shepherds, passing with their flocks, had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, and nursed him, saying, “Come with us, thou young man that the city hath cast forth. We be simple men without guile, and with us thou mayest find happiness, lying by night on the black fields beneath the quiet stars.” And the heart of that young man was filled with bitterness and regret, and he answered them, saying, “Yea, oh my friends,” and he shook the dust of that city from off his feet, and went with them. It happened that one night as he watched beside the sleeping shepherds, there shone suddenly a star above the fields, and the angel of the Lord came, and stood before him, and he was sore afraid. And the angel said, “‘Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Then that young man awakened his companions, and told them, saying, “Surely He that is born tonight shall be the Saviour of all men, since these tidings have been vouchsafed to me, who am least and lowliest of all.” And they were filled with awe, and said one to another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.” And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.