Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Choshen Mishpat/265

Paragraph 1- If one sees the lost item of another, he is required to return for free if he was idle. If he was working and stopped working at a loss of 1 dinar, and he returned a lost item worth 100 dinar, however, he cannot tell the owner to give him the dinar he lost. Rather, the owner would pay him the wage one would take to be an idle worker and stop doing the particular work he was doing. ''There are those who explain that an idle worker means what one would want to stop work and return the item. For example, if he was working on something that would pay him 4 dinar and if he were to stop working completely he would take 1 dinar, but to return the item he would take 2, the owner must pay him 2 dinar, even though he would be receiving 1 dinar as payment for return. If the payment for returning would be more than he makes working, the owner only has to pay him the amount he makes working. This that one is permitted to take payment for returning is only where the owner is not there and he is returning on his own. If the owner was there, however, and he did not make a condition with him, he has caused himself the loss and he would only receive payment as a completely idle worker, but he would not collect for the burden of returning the item.'' If he made a condition with the owner or in front of court that he would collect what he is losing, and the court permitted it, he can collect that amount. He is required to return to them now that they have agreed to pay him for what he is losing and they are required pay him what they agreed on. If there is no owner or court, his work would take precedence.