The homeward royal return
weighs heavy on my heart,
for she turns away
and stays behind—
Kaguya-hime.

Meaning

Because Kaguya-hime turns away from my wish and remains at the bamboo cutter’s house, the imperial return home weighs heavily on my heart.

Commentary

This is a poem composed by the Emperor after he visited the bamboo cutter’s dwelling and met Princess Kaguya.

He asked the bamboo cutter to have the beautiful Kaguya-hime, who had rejected all five suitors, enter service at court. However, Kaguya-hime steadfastly refused, saying that she would rather die than go to court service. Using a hunt as a pretext, the Emperor entered the bamboo cutter’s dwelling and met Kaguya-hime.
The Emperor is captivated by Kaguya-hime’s beauty, and his feelings deepen.

Source

Taketori Monogatari

Other

Over the years, no waves ever come ashore at Sumi-no-e; I hear there is no use in waiting— is that truly so?
There was no use at all; worn out with grief to the end, this dying life— will you not save it, if you can?
Beneath tangled weeds, years have passed for one like me— how could I ever behold a jeweled dais?
Now at this moment, when I don the heavenly robe— only now I know how dear you were to me.

The homeward royal return weighs heavy on my heart, for she turns away and stays behind— Kaguya-hime.

The homeward royal return
weighs heavy on my heart,
for she turns away
and stays behind—
Kaguya-hime.