Hey Curmudgeon! I wasn't aware of the word play here. I've just recently started trying to learn Hebrew so I knew Spirit/Ruach/Breath/wind.... I just read this passage the other day, too, and I totally missed it again.
As an alternative translation, what do you think about just replacing the word wind with spirit?
Nice to meet you, @garthfreeman,
I think that the word "spirit" in English probably carries too many overtones and connotations that aren't really there... "Breath" might work much better.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting! ;)