[If] he found [things] in a store, they belong to him; between the counter and the storekeeper, they belong to the storekeep-er. [If he found money] in front of a money changer, they belong to him; between the stool and the money changer, they belong to the money changer.  [If] one purchases produce from another, or if another sends him produce, and he finds money inside it, it belongs to him. If it is tied, [he must] take [it] and announce [it].

The garment, too, was included in all of these. Why was it singled out? To compare to it, to tell you [that] just as a garment is distinguished in that it has distinguishing features and it has claimants, so, too, anything which has distinguishing features and which has claimants must be announced.

Until when is he required to announce? Until there is time for its neighbors to know of it; [these are] the words of R’ Meir. R’ Yehudah says: Three festivals, and seven days after the last festival, so that he [have] three [days to] go home, three [days to] return, and one day [to] announce.

[If] he mentioned the lost article, but did not mention its distinguishing features, he should not give it to him. As for a de-ceiver —- although he mentions its distinguishing features, he should not give it to him, as it is said (Deuteronomy 22:2): “Until your brother seeks it” [which is interpreted as meaning:] until you test your brother [to determine] whether he is a deceiver or whether he is not a deceiver.  Anything that works and eats shall work and eat; anything that does not work, but eats, shall be sold, as it is said (ibid.): “And you shall return it to him,” [which is interpreted as meaning:] see how you shall return it to him.  What shall be with the money? R’ Tarfon says: He may use it; therefore, if it is lost, he is responsible for it. R’ Akiva says: He may not use it; therefore, if it is lost, he is not responsible for it.

[If] he found scrolls, he may read them once in thirty days; if he does not know how to read, he should roll them. However, he should not study in them for the first time, nor should another read with him.  [If] he found a garment, he should shake it out once in thirty days, and spread it out for its benefit, but not for his honor.  [As for] silverware and cop-perware —- he should use them for their benefit, but not to wear them out.  [As for] gold utensils and glassware —- he may not touch them until Elijah comes.  [If] he found a sack or a basket, or anything he is not accustomed to taking, he need not take [it].

What is [considered] a lost article? [If] he finds a donkey or a cow grazing by the road —- this is not [considered] a lost article; a donkey with its gear overturned, [or] a cow running among the vineyards —- this is [considered] a lost article.  [If] he returned it and it ran away, returned it [again] and it ran away —- even four or five times —- he is obligated to return it, as it is said (Deuteronomy 22:1): “You shall surely return them.”  [If] he refrained from [earning] a sela, he shall not say to him: “Give me a sela”; rather, he pays him his wage like an idle worker. If there is a court, he may stipulate before the court; if there is no court, before whom shall he stipulate? His own takes precedence.

[If] he finds it in a stable, he is not responsible for it; in a public domain, he is responsible for it. If it is [in] a graveyard, he may not contaminate himself for it.  If his father says to him: “Contaminate yourself,” or he says to him: “Do not re-turn [it],” he should not obey him.  [If] he unloaded and loaded, unloaded and loaded —- even four or five times —- he is obligated, as it is said (Exodus 23:5): “You shall surely help.” [If] he walked away and sat down, and said: “Since the commandment is [incumbent] upon you, if you want to unload, unload,” he is exempt, as it is said (ibid.): “With him.” If he is old or sick, he is obligated.  It is a commandment in the Torah to unload, but not to load. R’ Shimon says: Even to load. R’ Yose the Galilean says: If it bore more than its [proper] burden, he is not bound to him, for it is said (ibid.): “under its burden” —- a burden which it can bear.

[Between] his own lost article and his father’s lost article —- his own lost article takes precedence; [between] his own lost article and his teacher’s lost article —- his own takes precedence. [Between] his father’s lost article and his teacher’s lost article —- his teacher’s takes precedence, for his father brought him into this world, whereas his teacher —- who taught him wisdom —- brings him into the life of the World to Come. If his father is a scholar, however, his father’s takes precedence.  [If] his father and his teacher were carrying a load, he should put down his teacher’s, and afterwards put down his father’s.  [If] his father and his teacher were in captivity, he should ransom his teacher, and afterwards ransom his father. If his father was a scholar, however, he should ransom his father, and afterwards ransom his teacher.

[If] one deposits an animal or utensils with another, and they are stolen or lost, and, not wishing to swear, [the shomer] pays —- for they said: An unpaid shomer [may] swear and be quit —- [if] the thief is found, he pays the twofold payment; [if] he has slaughtered or sold [the animal], he pays the fourfold or fivefold payment. Whom does he pay? The one to whom the deposit was entrusted.  [If] he swore and did not wish to pay —- [if] the thief is found, he pays the twofold payment; [if] he has slaughtered or sold [the animal], he pays the fourfold or fivefold payment. Whom does he pay? The owner of the deposit.

[If] one rents a cow from another and lends it to someone else, and it dies naturally, the renter must swear that it died nat-urally, and the borrower must pay the renter. Said R’ Yose: How does that person do business with another’s cow? Rather, the cow should be returned to the owner.

[If] one says to two: “I robbed one of you of a maneh, but I do not know which one of you,” or “The father of one of you deposited a maneh with me, but I do not know which one he is” —- he gives this one a maneh and that one a maneh, be-cause he admitted by himself.