Original

Poggiand'al ciel coll'ali del desio
Icaro, il folle ardir menolo in parte,
Dove si sfe l cera a parte a parte,
Che di piu m'e d'orgoglio il padre ordio

Miser, ove ti mena il fatto rio
Fuordel dritto camin ad infiammarte ?
Per sepultura a le tue membra sparte
Le belle nimphe Galathea espio.

Tal si trova dinanzi al lume vostro
Donna gentil, ogn'ardiment'humano
Ched'hnor, e virtute sidesvia

Dinanzi a voi Amor lascivo e vano
Perd'ali e strali; o dov'è chimi dia
Per honorarv'assai ingegn'e inchiostro,

(Source: Meier, Bernardus (1963), p.9-14)

English

Soaring up to the heavens on wings of desire,
Icarus was led by mad daring to the place
where bit by bit the wax melted
that his father had woven with feathers and pride.

O wretch, where the wicked deed leads you,
leaving the straight path to be consumed in flames,
a sepulchre for your scattered limbs
was made by the fair nymphs Galateia and Speio.

Such is the lot, before your light,
noble lady, of every human audacity
that turns away from honor and virtue:

before you lascivious and vain Love
loses his wings and arrows. Oh, where is he who might give me
wit and ink to honor you enough?