(א) כָּל הַמּוֹצֵא אֲבֵדָה בֵּין שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ סִימָן בֵּין שִׁאִין בָּהּ סִימָן אִם מְצָאָהּ דֶּרֶךְ הַנָּחָה אָסוּר לִגַּע בָּהּ שֶׁמָּא בְּעָלֶיהָ הִנִּיחוּהָ שָׁם עַד שֶׁיַּחְזְרוּ לָהּ וְאִם יָבוֹא לִטְּלֶנָּה וְהָיָה דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ סִימָן הֲרֵי אִבֵּד מָמוֹן חֲבֵרוֹ בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין לוֹ בָּהּ סִימָן לְהַחְזִיר בּוֹ. וְאִם הָיָה דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ סִימָן הֲרֵי זֶה הִטְרִיחָן לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֶיהָ וְלָתֵת סִימָנֶיהָ. וּלְפִיכָךְ אָסוּר לוֹ שֶׁיִּגַּע בָּהּ עַד שֶׁיִּמְצָאֶנָּה דֶּרֶךְ נְפִילָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ נִסְתַּפֵּק לוֹ הַדָּבָר וְלֹא יָדַע אִם דָּבָר זֶה אָבוּד אוֹ מֻנָּח הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִגַּע בּוֹ. וְאִם עָבַר וּנְטָלוֹ אָסוּר לוֹ לְהַחְזִירוֹ לְשָׁם. וְאִם הָיָה דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ סִימָן זָכָה בּוֹ וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְהַחְזִירוֹ:
(1) Whenever a person finds an article that appears to have been intentionally placed down, it is forbidden for him to touch it. This applies whether or not it has a mark by which it can be identified. The rationale is that perhaps the owner of the article left it there until he returns. Thus, if the finder takes it he will have ill-treated the owner. If the article does not have a mark by which it can be identified, he has purposefully caused his colleague financial loss, for the article does not have a mark that will enable it to be identified and returned. Even if it has a mark, he has wronged him, for he has troubled him to search for the article and identify it by its marks. Therefore, it is forbidden for the finder to touch it, unless it appears to have fallen. Even if the finder is in doubt and does not know whether the article was lost or placed down, he should not touch it. If he transgressed and took it, he is forbidden to return it to its place. If it is an article that does not have a mark by which it can be identified, the finder acquires it; he is not obligated to return it.