 if your enemy is not fit for that then protect your secrets from him and make the effects of your plotting known to him and do not let him know anything of your plotting against him by word or deed so that he may be on his guard and know the places of your faults for protecting secrets is taking hold of the reins of plotting and increasing threats to enemies is failure. but tame your enemy as you tame him and count his faults as you cannot count.
فإن كان عدوك مما لا يصلح على ذلك فحصن عنه أسرارك، وعم عليه آثار تدبيرك، ولا يطلعن على شيء من مكايدتك له بقول ولا فعل، فيأخذ حذره، ويعرف مواضع عوارك، فإن تحصين الأسرار أخذ بأزمة التدبير، والإكثار من الوعيد للأعداء فشل. ولكن داج عدوك ما داجاك، وأحص معايبه ما لا حاك.