That king is the foremost of rulers, whose ministers know his acts in respect of virtue, profit and desire, only after they are done. The king whose counsels are kept close, without doubt, commandeth success. He that from ignorance committeth acts that are censurable, loseth his very life in consequence of the untoward results of those acts. The doing of acts that are praise-worthy is always attended with ease. Omission to do such acts leadeth to repentance.

In plain words: The best ruler keeps his plans so quiet that even his advisers learn of them only after they are done, and such a ruler succeeds. A person who does wrong out of ignorance can be ruined by what follows. Doing good deeds is easy, and failing to do them leads to regret.