Confucious died in 479 B.C.E. and this writing below is from his disciples that followed their teacher and passed on his life’s work in the book of analects.
From The Book of Analects 500 B.C.E :
The Master said,
“He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it”
The Master said, “In the Book of Poetry are three hundred pieces, but the design of them all may be embraced in one sentence
“Having no depraved thoughts.”
The Master said, “If the people be led by laws, and uniformly sought to be given them by punishment, but have no sense of shame, If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good.”
The Master said “At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning. At thirty, I stood firm, At forty, I had no doubts, At fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven, At sixty, my ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth, At seventy, I could follow what my hear desired, without transgressing what was right.”