In plain words
So you must enquire as you should and do good actions. You must not hurt others. You must do actions that help others, actions that give others joy.
The ideal set by the king of Magadha
Once, on the occasion of Emperor Aśoka's birthday, his vassal kings brought the taxes they had each collected from their people and offered them to him. But the king of Magadha came empty-handed. When Aśoka enquired the reason: “Great King! This year, because of floods and drought in my kingdom, the people suffered untold hardship, with no shade to stand in, no food to eat and no water to drink. So I used the taxes I collected from the people for the people's welfare alone. I gave the people a supply of drinking water. I had schools built for the children. I set up hospitals for those suffering from ill health. In this way all the money I collected has been spent. I have nothing left to offer Your Majesty,” he said. Emperor Aśoka was greatly delighted at these words. He called the king of Magadha to his side: “O King! Water gives life. Education develops the intelligence. Medical care protects health. By providing these three for the people, you have done a very great work. You have given up self-interest and toiled for the good of others, to please the Supreme Lord.” With these words he congratulated him.
Turning to the other vassal kings gathered there, Aśoka said this: “Many people criticise us for collecting too much tax from the people. But if we do not collect tax from the people, where will the government's money come from? If the government has no money, how can it take up works for the people's welfare? So we cannot avoid collecting tax from the people. But we must regard it as God's property and spend it for the people alone. This is what true service is.”