Line by Line - Verse 50, Lines 1-2

Men come forth and live; they enter (again) and die. Of every ten, three are ministers of life (to themselves);
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Between birth and death,
Three in ten are followers of life,
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Coming into life, entering death
The followers of life, three in ten
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

(No corresponding lines.)
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

The beginning lines of Verse 50 are a bit mystifying. As we can see from the three translations above, they agree that Lao Tzu is writing about three in ten. However, two commentators quoted by Red Pine, Han Fei and Tu Er-Wei, contend that the numerical symbolism signifies the number thirteen!

According to Pine,

Han Fe says it means "three and ten" or "thirteen" and refers to the four limbs and nine orifices of the body, which can be guarded to preserve life or indulged to end it.

Tu Er-Wei also reads "thirteen" but sees its numerical significance in the moon, which becomes full thirteen days after it first appears and which disappears after another thirteen days.

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