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If you want me, you need to be clever, for idiots could never keep me.
Some people think they can get me with just some water and sunshine...
But don't be silly, I'm not that easy.
Please control yourself, if your desire to use me is too strong, I will put your pants on fire!
Please don't do bad things for me, I might get dirty.
But better be quick! For the longer you wait, the smaller I become.

Who am I?

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3 Answers 3

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You're

Money.

If you want me, you need to be clever, for idiots could never keep me.

"A fool and his money are soon parted"

Some people think they can get me with just some water and sunshine... But don't be silly, I'm not that easy.

"Money doesn't grow on trees".

Please control yourself, if your desire to use me is too strong, I will put your pants on fire!

"Money burns a hole in one's pocket". (thanks, greenturtle3141!)

Please don't do bad things for me, I might get dirty.

"Dirty money" is slang for money acquired by doing something bad.

But better be quick! For the longer you wait, the smaller I become.

A reference to inflation.

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  • $\begingroup$ Well.... that was way too fast... only 3 views this time >.<. Wonder if you can find the 2 missing(3 actually) expressions? $\endgroup$
    – stack reader
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 2:21
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Is it, "burn a hole in one`s pocket"? $\endgroup$
    – greenturtle3141
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 2:40
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    $\begingroup$ @stackreader The title made it even easier :) $\endgroup$
    – Abhirath Mahipal
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 5:33
  • $\begingroup$ Think the explanation for the 4th clue is slightly off - the implication is rather that the (answer) itself is ill-gotten. $\endgroup$
    – Ant P
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 9:13
  • $\begingroup$ I wonder if the last one is too hard to get? It is a very famous expression though. Maybe my hint is not good enough. $\endgroup$
    – stack reader
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 14:39
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You might be:

Ideas, or imagination

If you want me, you need to be clever, for idiots could never keep me

You need a spark of inspiration to get an idea, if you refuse to think (idiot) you'll never hold on to them

Some people think they can get me with just some water and sunshine/ But don't be silly, I'm not that easy

People think relaxing by the beach is a good way to have ideas come to you, but that does not always work

Please control yourself, if your desire to use me is too strong, I will put your pants on fire!

If you imagine too much, you might end up telling lies (liar liar pants on fire)

Please don't do bad things for me, I might get dirty.

If you have bad inspirations you might have dirty thoughts

But better be quick! For the longer you wait, the smaller I become.

If you don't quickly write down or act on your ideas they fade away.

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  • $\begingroup$ Yeah I realized that @Deusovi's answer was way better once I clicked 'post'. Haha... $\endgroup$
    – Xenocacia
    Commented Nov 14, 2016 at 2:24
  • $\begingroup$ IMO this is better than the intended answer. $\endgroup$
    – Egor Hans
    Commented Mar 16, 2020 at 11:35
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You're

Temper.

If you want me, you need to be clever, for idiots could never keep me.

Idiots easily lose their temper.

Some people think they can get me with just some water and sunshine... But don't be silly, I'm not that easy.

Even people with a sunny disposition can lose their temper when the situation arises.

Please control yourself, if your desire to use me is too strong, I will put your pants on fire!

It's not good to always force yourself to be in a good mood and bottle up feelings. That uneasiness could make you feel like a "cat on a hot tin roof"

Please don't do bad things for me, I might get dirty.

When you lose your temper you might do bad things, like hurt others and make them bleed (get dirty)

But better be quick! For the longer you wait, the smaller I become.

If you have to wait too long for something, your patience gets smaller and smaller.

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